Now You See Her
by Holly-Danielle-C
Summary: 6 months ago she died. 6 months ago she left her loved ones in mourning. A lot happens in 6 months. A lot can change? For the better? or for the worse? He'd seen her die before his eyes that day they flicked the switch and her heart stopped beating...but did she really die?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovely Readers! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Welcome to my new story, I hope you all enjoy it! It is set around 6 months after Charlie's 'death', but don't worry it is a Chax story, and just as a side note Casey is in jail. Please let me know what you think! X**

**Now you see her: **

**Chapter one: Memories of Charlie **

Grief can destroy you -or focus you. You can decide a relationship was all for nothing if it had to end in death, and you alone. OR you can realize that every moment of it had more meaning than you dared to recognize at the time, so much meaning it scared you, so you just lived, just took for granted the love and laughter of each day, and didn't allow yourself to consider the sacredness of it. But when it's over and you're alone, you begin to see that it wasn't just a movie and a dinner together, not just watching sunsets together, not just scrubbing a floor or washing dishes together or worrying over a high electric bill. It was everything; it was the why of life, every event and precious moment of it. The answer to the mystery of existence is the love you shared sometimes so imperfectly, and when the loss wakes you to the deeper beauty of it, to the sanctity of it, you can't get off your knees for a long time, you're driven to your knees not by the weight of the loss but by gratitude for what preceded the loss. And the ache is always there, but one day not the emptiness, because to nurture the emptiness, to take solace in it, is to disrespect the gift of life. What you have lost will not be returned to you. It will always be lost. You're left with only your scars to mark the void. All you can choose to do is go on or not. But if you go on it's knowing you carry your scars with you. Nevertheless, over all those wasted months, he had held in his mind the wish to kiss her on the back of her neck, the wish to hold her in his arms, the wish to see her smile, those bright eyes eyes shining back at him.

Brax sighed as he woke up, failing to catch any dreams that night and failing to sleep at all, it'd been restless, leading up to this day he had been restless, he'd shut people out and shut down altogether, with the half empty bottle of vodka by his bedside, it didn't look as though things were going to change.

Rolling over onto his side, he reached his arm out as if he were about to hold her close to him; after all, it only felt like yesterday that she was in that very position. The first thing he saw was her picture haunting its way through his eyes, tearing him apart from the inside, glancing at the clock on the wall he knew he had no chance, 5:00 am, all chance of sleep had gone. A quiet, lonely room; some people would kill for the chance for some peace from humanity, some time to yourself, but why would Brax want to be alone when he once had Charlie?

Her image haunted him the whole night, each living hour she managed to break him a bit more, tear him apart from the inside. The date on the clock sticks out like a sore thumb, June 7th 2012, some people will continue about their normal days with no care in the world. Others, not so lucky.

Today was her birthday.

Supposed to be filled with fun, laughter and happiness. Breakfast in bed, a day treating her to whatever she wished; a night full of passion and just, quite simply loving each other like there was no tomorrow. Brax still loved Charlie like there was no tomorrow, he'd even set his alarm for 8 am thinking he needed to make her breakfast in bed, he was silently cursing himself because he knew she wasn't there, he just wanted her to be.

He had a hard time accepting what people had told him, that Charlie was just a memory.

All the time he stares at the clock silently, his own gaunt reflection staring right back at him. His own pained expression hitting him in the face, he felt the familiar fog cover his eyes, through the mist he manages to look into the reflection again, only this time, the clock isn't there anymore. He's staring at a long neon green line, going up and down, up and down, up and down, with her lifeless reflection hazy in the glass. He can't see her eyes, they've been closed for 24 hours now, and he can't see the life in her anymore.

84, 83, 81, 84, 0…..

He even remembers the pattern of her heart before it stopped, before someone reached down and stubbed out her flame. And he still to this very day finds it just as hard to grasp the concept that he can never look into her eyes again. He can never tell her he loves her _and_ get a response. Groaning silently to himself he ran his hands over his face, nothing had ever been easy without her, no hour, no minute, no second of any day, and it didn't look as though that was about to change. He twisted the ring around his finger quickly, like a cyclone; he was trying to spin her image from his mind. It never worked.

"I miss you so much" he sighed, letting a lone tear trail along his cheek bone

As he began to get dressed and grabbed his board shorts from the floor for the long day ahead he found himself plagued by more memories as his eyes met that one box he'd not touched since the very day they'd departed, his eyes scanned the black marker writing over and over again

'Memories of Charlie'

'Memories of Charlie' she still followed him everywhere he went, everyday he woke she was the first thing on his mind, before bed she was the last thing on his mind…no lads night out or night in with Natalie could ever change that.

Little did he know somewhere out there she thought of him too. Each lonely night in, each long day out, he was on her mind.

He trudged into the kitchen, his eyes slightly puffy, his cheeks slightly red and his composure strewn and worn…. his hair was rugged, just how Charlie used to like it,

How she still liked it.

His feet scuffed the floor as he stood patiently by the sink, waiting for the kettle to fill up, he gazed out of the window someone catching his eye as they jogged across the street, for a split second he could of sworn it was Charlie, his Charlie just how she used to be jogging quiet and content as she listened to the blaring music through her headphones, then reality hit him, that wasn't Charlie, and she never would be no matter how much he wanted her to be, Natalie would always be his second best; Charlie after all was the love of his life.

"Mate, I think that kettles full" Heath said, letting out a small laugh as Brax snapped out of his trance "Geez mate I know she's your girlfriend but can you at least take your eyes off her for a second" Heath joked, completely forgetting what day it was, how difficult it was for his brother.

"Can you not, Heath" Brax snapped, glaring at his brother with piercing eyes, still red from the strain of holding back his tears

"Yes princess Darryl" Heath teased, taking advantage of his brother's fragile state, chuckling as he watched Brax tense and clench his jaw

"I don't have time for this" Brax mumbled to Heath before storming out of the house, the door slamming shut behind him, making the walls shake and tremble, resembling Brax's mood

…

Brax made a silent attempt at holding back his anguish as he stared into the perfect picture of her as he stood before her grave that morning, the sun streaming through the few clouds, the waves crashing beneath the lonely cliff top, it was a beautiful morning

"Not as beautiful as you" He muttered to her as he sat down opposite her, his mind gazing at the date of death on the grave

24th January 2012. The day they lost there fight.

"I miss this" He smiled, gently running the pad of his thumb along her smile "I miss your laugh, seeing you on the beach, how am I supposed to do this anymore Charlie?" he asked pleadingly, as he stared at the picture of her he felt his heart tremor with loss. Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

"Do you know how much I'd give just for you to say you love me again?" he asked, as if he was expecting a reply

"I'd give the world for it" he admitted, shaking his head softly as tear tracks lined his cheeks.

Little did he know somewhere in the world, she was saying I love you to him each night, just to be sure they'd once been together. She prayed each day she'd get a chance to see those eyes staring back at her, that it really hadn't been as long as she'd believed.

"Nothing's the same Charlie" Brax told her, picking at the grass beneath his feet

"I'm so numb Charlie, I can't love anymore,"

"You see some woman I know, she captured my heart, stole it as she died, it never came back." he sniffed, failing to raise a smile anymore as he stared back at the photo on her gravestone, her eyes burning straight through him.

"So I've come to the conclusion that the big man upstairs must have been one angel short aye? Well he got her!" Brax sighed "He got my angel."

…**..**

Brax stood aimlessly staring at the cardboard box that was placed before him on the floor of his room, never had something so simple been so daunting.

He hadn't touched it since the day she died.

He hadn't planned on going through it anytime soon either.

But as he knew all too well, things don't always go to plan.

"Here goes Charlie" he muttered as he opened the light brown flaps of the box, her belongings strewn inside, the one single box she'd packed and left at his house, ready for their new lives together.

He felt fresh tears prick his eyes as he held her cream silk nightdress; it was so untouched it still smelt like her, her perfume lingered through the air. It was something he cherished as he held it close to his chest. Her scent was like a breath of fresh air.

He stilled momentarily as he eyed up three familiar items, three objects that held a precious memory between them, one he'd never shared with anyone.

"_Brax where are we going?" Charlie giggled as he guided her blindfolded through the streets of Yabbie creek_

"_We're nearly there" Brax laughed as he turned her body to the left stopping at the entrance of a small shop_

"_Brax seriously, we've stopped now, take the blindfold off!" Charlie demanded impatiently, smiling as he tugged at the knot in the material and she saw what shop they were outside of: 'Mother and Baby'_

Brax drew a deep breath as he pulled them out of the box, a little pair of cream babies booties, so unworn they were still soft to the touch, he sighed as he picked up the baby bib with _'My dads a stud'_ written in a beige colour across the front. He smiled as he picked up the last item, a book on all things pregnancy related,

"_I'm not going through nine months with you not knowing how to deal with my hormones" _Charlie had said as they trawled through the shop

Placing the items on the bed he reached into the box and pulled out camera tapes she'd had developed merely days before the end of their life _"We are not letting these memories pass us by"_ she had said

He hesitated before turning the TV slipping one into the DVD unit; he smiled softly as the room was filled with the sound of her soft serene voice.

"_Oh Brax" Charlie sung as she entered their room, the morning sunlight streaming through the curtains "Good morning sleepy head" She giggled as he groaned in his sleep_

"_Charlie, what are you doing?" Brax mumbled sleepily as the bed springs compressed and she crawled over to him, still filming the occasion on camera_

"_I'm filming our last few days and nights in summer bay, I wanna remember them" Charlie said, you could sense her smiling from behind the lens, you could hear her giggle as he opened one eye and kept the other firmly closed._

"_You couldn't have filmed this when I looked more attractive?" Brax asked sarcastically raising his eyebrows at her. She giggled again before snuggling up to him and holding the camera above them._

"_Just think 3 more days and then…you and I are gonna be free." She smiled, kissing his lips gently and passionately._

"_I'm counting the hours." Brax smiled as he broke their kiss._

_Brax smiled, continuing to let the memory unfold on the TV screen, her voice pouring through the speakers, it was like she was still here, talking to him now. _

His thoughts got ripped to shreds as Heath fell into the room, his eyes instantly falling on the baby shoes lying on the bed.

"Ah mate you're whipped!" Heath yelled, grabbing the booties before Brax had a chance to react.

…**.**

"Heath just give them back" Brax demanded through gritted teeth down the corridor, failing to realize Ruby and Bianca were in the kitchen.

"Oh come on mate, you can't keep it a secret forever just let me show them to everyone" Heath teased

"Heath!" Brax boomed

"Heath for gods sake they're not for Nat" Brax sighed impatiently, earning a curious glance from Heath who cluelessly waved the booties teasingly a few feet from Brax "They're Charlie's!" Brax yelled, causing Bianca to gasp at what he'd admitted, not only had she had no clue about Charlie wanting more kids, but it'd been the first time her name had spilled from his lips since her death.

"Oh my god" Ruby whispered breathlessly

"Mine and Charlie's" Brax whispered, Heaths jaw dropping, never in the past six months had he seen Brax so torn up over his ex lover

"What?" Heaths tone had completely changed, it was softer this time, no teasing, no disrespect. Not only had he realized the enormity of his brothers revelation, he'd realized what day it was…

Her Birthday.

"You heard what I said Heath, don't play dumb"

"Did…did you want kids, with Charlie?" Heath asked, astonished by his brothers revelation, he'd never been close with Charlie Buckton, acquaintances was taking things to a stretch. But now, seeing his brother like this, he realized the extent of the damage her death had caused, the raw wounds jutting out from all angles

"What do think Heath?" Brax sighed, sinking down the wall slightly, partly relieved that he'd let some of his anguish out, even if it were only a small part

"Was…was Buckton pregnant?" Heath asked softly, sitting down next to Brax on the floor

"Was Charlie pregnant?" Ruby said, her voice catching in her throat as she spoke for the first time in a long while

"Nup, nup but that doesn't mean we weren't trying" Brax said sadly as his tears fell from his eyes, recalling the memories they had, where they spoke about the future, moving to the city and children, how much they had to live for…and now, he felt like he'd lost his whole world.

_Charlie smiled as Brax's arms slipped behind her, the salty water droplets dripping off of him and dissolving into the sand_

"_I want one" Charlie smiled as she watched the family play out at sea, the father lifting the little boy onto the board and helping him gain his balance_

"_What a surf board, you should have said sooner," Brax teased as she leant her head back onto his shoulder, snuggling her body into his as they watched the young family._

"_Not a surf board you idiot!" Charlie grinned, punching him in the shoulder lightly _

"_Have you ever thought of having a family?" Charlie asked, her smile never faltering as she continued to watch as the father helped his son back on to the board, only for the little kid to get back up again_

"_Sometimes…" Brax said vaguely _

"_Sometimes?" Charlie questioned, turning to face him _

"_Yeah, more often now…what about you?" Brax asked, chuckling to himself as the mother joined the father and son in the sea and the family splashed each other and mucked around._

"_Recently, it's been on my mind a lot." Charlie nodded, playing with their entwined fingers "I never used to want anymore, I guess you just have to find the right person." She smiled softly as his lips parted into a grin, displaying his cute dimples_

"_I think we'd make pretty cute kids…" Charlie admitted, her cheeks reddening upon Brax's intense gaze on her._

"_I reckon we'd make pretty cute kids too." Brax smiled, leaning forward and kissing Charlie gently on the lips "I wanna grow old with you." Brax murmured into her hairline as she leant her head onto his chest, smiling as he felt her lips part into a grin "And I want kids with you." he admitted "Really, really want kids with you." He said quietly, twisting his ring as she leant out of his embrace "Do you want kids with me?" he asked, his heart ready to burst as her face broke out into a huge grin_

"_There is nothing I want more." she whispered before leaning forward and kissing him passionately _

"_You sure, because you know, there's no backing out after that, you'll be stuck with me," he said cheekily, although Charlie saw the glimmer of fear in his eyes that she would leave him_

"_I reckon that's the best idea I've ever heard, and you Mr." She said pushing him back onto the sand and kneeling over him on all fours "are the best thing that has ever happened to me."_

"I didn't know she wanted more children" Ruby whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Not only did she used to want children with him, it still played on her mind each day, for one very prominent reason.

"She said she wanted a boy, that way she'd have one of each." Brax smiled, thinking of her telling him what she wanted, what she wanted for them, together, their future "And then she said she wanted another girl, so she could do things properly this time, how she felt she should have done with you," Brax said weakly, smiling up at Ruby.

"She was the best mum, I wouldn't have wanted any different." Ruby whispered, kneeling down into Brax's embrace as he held his arms out to the fragile little girl

"You know I thought you and Charlie were going to get married, have children, do all those things, have a happy ending…" Brax sighed heavily, removing himself from their embrace and heaving himself up from the floor, pacing to the other side of the room "Ruby don't do this." Brax sighed, scraping at imaginary crumbs on the table.

"You know mate you can still have that life, family, marriage, kids, happy ending" Heath encouraged, sitting opposite Brax who seemed to have blocked their voices out of his head

"Nup, nah not without Charlie." he said automatically, his tears clouding his vision "She was my happy ending."

"But she's gone Brax." Ruby stated factually, her blunt tone surprising everyone

"Ruby please don't say-"

"It's a fact Brax!" She screamed, "Now would you listen I didn't come here for me!" She snapped, cutting him off "I came for you."

"Ever since Charlie died…" she started, sighing when Brax shook his head to himself "Don't do that, listen to me." she said leaning forward, towards him from the coffee table where she was sitting

"I've been a mess, that strong girl out the funeral…I don't know where she's gone Brax?"

"She's still there Rubes." Brax insisted

"No." she shook her head "No she's not Brax,"

"I push all the people who love me away and cling on to the very few that stay, because I worry they'll disappear…" she said, her body trembling with tears

"Rubes-"

"And that's why I never have to cling onto you." She smiled weakly, letting the tears stream from her eyes "Because I know that no matter what, you're never going anywhere…you're never going to leave," Brax sighed as Ruby took a seat on the coffee table opposite him, her hand resting comfortingly on his knee

"And that's why you don't have to cling onto Charlie." Ruby said taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm not asking you to forget her, I'm not asking you to stop loving her, but you have to let go because no matter what she's always going to be there…Right in here, where she belongs"

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't let go. She was his and she'd been taken too soon. How could he let go?

…**..**

Brax frowned as he heard a faint knock on the door. He could see a blurred petite figure through the misty glass. Sighing to himself, he went to open it. He really wasn't in the mood for any company right now. He rolled his eyes as he saw who it was

"Hi, you want company" Natalie offered, raising her eyebrows at him and then frowning at the half drowned bottle of whiskey in his hands "You're drinking alone"

"I'm not lonely" Brax stated, taking another swig from the bottle.

"I didn't say you were lonely I said you were alone" Natalie corrected, sighing when she saw him start to play with the ring on his finger "Ok, do you want to talk?"

"Nup, funnily enough I don't Natalie, if you wanna talk then go and see someone who cares" Brax spat angrily, trying to slam the door on her, only to be taking aback by the shear force of her as she pushed back against him, her foot jamming its way between the door and the frame.

"I was just-"

"Another day Nat!" Brax said, pushing her foot away and violently shutting the door closed, yet to realize Heath had overheard the whole exchange.

"You know it must be strange…loving a ghost" Heath whispered to Brax, a small smile flickered across his face to his brother, but it wasn't teasing, mocking or disrespectful, rather pitying, sad and sympathetic.

"She's not a ghost Heath…not to me, she's the love of my life"

A ghost.

She never would be, or could be, in Brax's life she'd always be more than that, she'd left her mark and now he had to face the reality, what he wanted and what he needed, he could never have again.

She was gone,

For now.

**Phew! I know that was quite heavy, but the next Chapter is very intriguing and not so heavy, I hope you enjoyed it though, and as you have probably gathered, Charlie is alive! Woo! I don't know when the next Chapter will be up, updates may not be as frequent as 'Lost then Found' but I won't make it painstakingly long! Let me know what you think x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I'm glad you love the story, Enjoy! x**

**Chapter 2 – Pretty boy.**

**2 WEEKS LATER….**

She missed all the little things. Like him driving with his hand resting on her knee and the way they'd share a big gooey ice cream. But she especially missed the hot nights in those motel rooms when he was all around her, the taste, and the scent and the feel of him. And she'd fall asleep in his arms, with the sound of his heartbeat being the last thing she heard before going to sleep.

She ached with longing.

Her feet padded across the off white tiles that covered the flooring across the whole apartment. Her feet had begun to ache lately, but at least the mornings were getting easier. She'd managed to stop crying at the thought of him being there to help her, to comfort her. But she never stopped thinking about it, not for a second. It was the simple things she longed for, like someone to hold her hair back in the mornings, someone to massage her back after a long day, someone to rub her newly swollen feet.

She had gotten used to her daily routine.

Wake up. Breakfast. Work. Dinner. Bed.

That routine happened everyday. She kept her personal business to herself, no change to how she previously acted really.

She lived in Sydney, sea view, close to the beach, great career.

What more could a woman want eh?

But Charlie wasn't just any ordinary woman.

She was one mere hour from summer bay, one hour from her life. Her home. But she never went back, she couldn't. As far as she was concerned she was safe, her daughter was safe, Brax was safe. That was all that mattered.

Brax.

She thought about him each second she was awake, he was always in the forefront of her mind. Some things never change.

It didn't feel like it had been a year. It didn't feel like it had been a day. She could still remember the sensation of being in his arms, feeling close to him. She wondered now if it would feel any different.

She didn't think so.

She'd lost track of her life now, where the days went, she couldn't tell you what happened yesterday, she couldn't even say if she made it to work yesterday.

She had good days and she had bad days. Everyone does, but not like Charlie Buckton.

Her bad days were those filled with consuming thoughts about what could have been, what would have been and what should have been. Sometime's she'd just lie in bed and dream about Brax, dream about Ruby.

Love had nearly killed her once, yet it was the one thing keeping her sane.

She was hanging on by a thread.

She'd seen Ruby 3 days ago, crossing the street in Sydney with April on a shopping trip. Her own daughter and she couldn't acknowledge her; she found her instinct was to run to her. But she couldn't. She wasn't allowed.

To the residents of Summer Bay, she was dead.

Merely a ghost.

The thread snapped.

…**..**

"Yep, Casey, I will try." Brax insisted as he spoke to Casey down the phone, getting frustrated with his brother's impatience "Yeah Case I know you do ok?" Brax boomed, sweeping the table with his hands in an angered motion. "Yep, you look after yourself mate." Brax sighed down the phone "Will do." He said swiftly, hanging up on his younger brother and holding his head in his hands.

Case had been in prison for a month now. He was in there for armed robbery, really it was all Danny's doing but Case took the fall, and paid for it, 10 years with chance of bail after 6. Brax hadn't spoken to Danny since. Shouted at him in anger yes, beat him to a pulp yes, but have a calm conversation with him, no. Heath on the other hand was Daddy's favourite boy, getting him to realize the truth was proving difficult; getting him to talk to Casey was impossible. He'd insisted he was going to live the family orientated life with Rocco and Bianca, no thug in jail was going to be part of it, yet he hung out with his father.

"Oi Heath, get out here!" Brax barked, slamming the phone down on the table.

"Geez what's going on?" Heath questioned, wanting to know the reasoning behind Brax's current outburst.

"I need you to do something." Brax demanded, Heath looked at him confused

"Depends what it is." He said smartly, he wasn't going to be pushed around even if Brax was riled up.

"Nah, that wasn't asking, it was an order. Go see Casey." Brax stated firmly

"So that's why you called me is it?" Heath shook his head in disbelief. Barx scoffed at his brother's attitude towards their younger sibling.

"Yeah well he wants to see ya, ok this is stuffing him up in the head." Brax pleaded, the anger had faded; now he was begging with frustration.

"Well he'll have to suck it up then won't he?" Heath concluded, walking to the fridge and picking up two beers, throwing one at Brax.

"Heath-" Brax started

"Just for a second there I thought you might ask about my life." Heath boomed, cutting in to Brax's path of thought

"What?"

Heath rolled his eyes in disbelief, Brax had once again forgotten about everything else in the world apart from pretty boy Casey "Rocco came home from hospital today. You remember? Your nephew? But you don't give a rats, not whilst Casey's in jail having a cry." Heath boomed, chucking his beer bottle across the room and watching it shatter to the floor with the full brunt of his anger

"Oi easy, easy! Alright, you gonna tell me what's going on?" Brax yelled, holding his hand out in front of him with his palm flat in a calming motion

"Nothing." Heath replied, quickly, too quickly for it to be the truth.

Brax looked at him for a minute before shaking his head "Nup, common, lets go for a walk." He said, chucking a coat at Heath before opening the door, Heath trawling out first.

…

Brax stilled as they arrived on the beach on the warm summers day, the breeze blowing softly along the shore, the calm, serenity being penetrated by the two brothers. Brax sighed heavily as he watched Heath stare angrily out onto the horizon.

"Right mate, whatever happens between us, I'm your brother alright, you can always come to me." Brax started, his eyes flickering towards Heath as he noticed he'd got his attention.

"Yeah I know alright" Heath muttered, darting his eyes back out to shore

"And I'm not gonna judge you." Brax continued, nudging Heaths shoulder gently

Heath rolled his eyes and turned to face him "Yes I got it."

Brax relaxed, knowing he had Heath's full attention he carried on "And of course I'm interested in what's going on in your life mate, especially with the little fella. How is he anyway?" Brax asked

Heath crossed his arms and kicked at the sand "He's fine. Everything else is just messed up." He grunted

Brax frowned. "What you mean you and Bianca? Did you have a fight or something because that stuff is easily fixed." He tried to explain, stopping when he saw Heath shake his head adamantly.

"Nah, nah it's not that." Heath mumbled

"Well what is it then!" Brax yelled impatiently, raising his eyebrows at Heath to answer

Heath turned to face him angrily "Don't you ever wonder how Case could lie about Dad setting up the armed robbery?" he asked, pointing at Brax

Brax scoffed, taken aback by Heaths sheer stupidity "What you reckon dad wasn't involved? Heath the guys a dog, he always was, still is." He boomed

"So we're different then." Heath concluded, slumping down onto the soft, fine little clumps of sand. Brax sighed and sat down next to his brother, drawing patterns into the sand

"Look Heath you're pretty lucky me and Case didn't turn a blind eye every time you stuffed up and ended up in a jail cell." Brax said honestly, turning his attention back to his distressed and angered brother.

"You're kidding right? You want me to make him feel good about this." Heath shouted in disbelief, Brax huffed before arguing back again.

"Nah mate, I'm not asking you to make him feel better, I'm telling you not to make this worse." He said seriously, looking Heath dead on in the eyes.

"Whatever mother, sure." Heath said sarcastically, Brax however took it seriously

"Well why don't you go ask Case then, settle it. We're all he's got mate, you and me…you just remember that."

…**.**

Casey looked up as the iron gates creaked open in the outdoor visitors court. He cracked a faint smile as he saw Heath trudging through the gates, Heath silently cursing beneath his breath as the gates squeaked shut. They came to a standstill metres from each other.

"Right, you've been begging for weeks, so here I am…what can I do for ya?" Heath asked, standing a few feet from his brother who stood cuffed in green prisoners uniform. The colour suited him, Heath thought.

"How's dad?" Casey asked, ignoring Heaths cocky remark. Heath visibly tensed up throughout his whole core.

Heath scoffed and shook his head, still keeping his arms crossed defensively over his body "If you think I'm here for a mothers meeting you can think again Case." He spat venomously.

"You know I thought when you came here today, we were cool." Casey admitted

Heath shrugged his shoulders "Then you thought wrong." Heath said honestly

Casey took a deep breath "I need your help with something."

"My help?" Heath asked, pointing to himself.

"Yeah, for some stupid reason you're the only one that can help." Casey revealed

"How'd you figure that?" Heath grunted, making eye contact with Casey for the first time.

"Do Dad and Brax speak?" Casey asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.

"Nope." Heath said quickly

"There's your answer." Casey concluded, scuffing the ground with the bottom of his worn down shoe.

"Look Case as much as I'm loving this, quit the riddles and cut to the chase." Heath barked impatiently, tapping his foot on the rugged gravel floor

"I've spoken to Jake Pirovic." Casey said, sliding into the seat by the wooden picket table.

"Then you're dumber than you look." Heath scoffed, stepping forward slightly, he saw Casey smile weakly. Sighing he dropped his arms to his sides and sat opposite him

Casey smirked "Apparently we look pretty similar Heath." Casey smiled Half-heartedly

"Well aren't you blessed." Heath smirked sarcastically "So what, you and Pirovic are buddies now then? Keeping each other warm at night that's real sweet Case real sweet, and you thought I was pissed at you…I'm just the calm before the storm, the minute Brax gets wind of you talking to Jake you're toast." Heath grinned slyly, leaning back on the wooden chair and taking in his little brothers distressed exterior.

"Heath will you just shut up." Casey growled impatiently

"Why should I?" Heath bellowed, thumping his fist down on the table.

"Because I'm not the one who's gonna be sleeping alone on a cold winters night if you don't shut up. Brax is." Casey yelled through gritted teeth, leaning angrily across the table. Casey noticed Heaths demeanor changed slightly, his facial muscles released and a confused look etched over his face.

"Alright keep your hair on golden boy, what's that supposed to mean?" Heath asked, leaning forward and rapping his knuckles on the table impatiently.

"Have you seen much of dad lately?"

"What's that got to do with it?"

"You're gonna do something for me." Case said matter of factly.

"Really, go figure Case. When did you get so demanding?" Heath teased before his face grew serious again. "Nah, I haven't seen much of dad lately, he keeps doing one of his disappearing acts. Road trips he calls them." He shrugged

"Yeah he's good at that isn't he." Casey said, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. Jake really had been telling the truth the whole time.

"That's one thing we agree on." Heath said nonchalantly

"He's been going to Sydney." Casey said certainly, causing Heaths head to shoot up curiously.

"How would you know?"

"Jake." Casey admitted confidently.

"What the hell has he got to do with it?" Heath boomed angrily

"I've got Jake to trust me." Casey said in a softer voice so none of the guards would feel the conversation was getting too heated to continue.

"What do you want a medal or something Case? The guy is pretty dumb." Heath said through gritted teeth, trying to control his anger

"Well he's outsmarting you and Brax." Casey said in a hushed voice, earning a worried glance from Heath "For months." Casey saw the colour drain out of Heath's cheeks slightly and his eyebrows rise back in shock; Heath hadn't been prepared for that. What the hell was his little brother talking about?

"Case seriously, no games, what the hell are you talking about?" Heath asked; he was more worried about the outcome of this conversation than he would care to admit.

"Jake after someone." Casey said, his eyes darting around anxiously to make sure none of the guards were paying attention with a roaming ear.

"Who's the someone Case?" Heath asked, unable to prepare himself for the news Casey was about to break to him. Casey hesitated, talking about Charlie was a no go between the three of them, and she was a difficult topic to approach.

"Charlie, Charlie Buckton." At those words Heath could have sworn his heart stopped, he never liked the woman, but her death had torn Brax apart. The thought she could be alive still sent anger pulsing through his veins, how could she be alive and be happy to let Brax suffer? Even Heath knew she loved Brax too much for that.

His tone changed instantly "I hate to break it to you Case but news flash, Buckton's dead, long gone." Heath said adamantly, squeezing the ridge of his nose with his fingers and squeezing his eyes shut, trying to comprehend and piece together what Casey was telling him but failing miserably.

"According to Jake she's not." Casey said certainly, meeting Heaths worried eyes.

"And you seriously trust that dog?" Heath asked disgustedly, leaning forward and clasping his hands together in a fist.

Casey sighed, leaning forward too, resting his palms on the table next to Heaths "Yeah, actually this time I do." Casey said "I've been in his little circle since I arrived here Heath and you know what, I don't regret it for a second." Casey admitted, his words stung Heath, even if Charlie was alive, mixing with Jake was fraternizing with the enemy. It was betrayal.

"If you are that sick in the head Case then excuse me but I reckon you're just doing this to get to Brax. Has Pirovic sent out orders now? For you to get to him?" Heath questioned furiously, grinding his teeth together in a bid to keep his temper in check. Casey watched nervously as Heaths fists visibly shook with rage. He understood his anger, they'd watch Brax slowly slip into oblivion for 6 months and it was all for nothing.

"If I wanted to piss Brax off, don't you think I would have invited him along?" Casey replied smartly, trying to keep his own frustration in check.

"Mate, Charlie's dead. Jake pulled the trigger remember? You, Brax and Ruby found her lying there in a pool of her own blood, and she never uttered a word again, or did that fact just slip your mind?" Heath said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else that she wasn't alive, that she couldn't be. She had to be dead.

"Jake has a hit out on her, he let it slip." Casey saw Heaths fists tighten further and his jaw clench tightly

"I don't believe this." Heath growled adamantly.

"She's in witness protection Heath, and she's on her own, with hit men after her." Casey pleaded, trying to get his brother to realize it was true.

"Well what do you want me to do, run a search party for a ghost!" Heath boomed, flailing his arms in the air

"You don't have to, I already found her." Casey said quietly

"Geez Einstein you've got this sorted haven't you, you really believe it?" Heath said skeptically, frowning at Casey.

"Yeah, yeah I do Heath, and I need you to find her. Fast." Casey said quickly

"I don't owe you any favours Case." Heath muttered, leaning away from his brother,

"Nah but you owe Brax, Heath, do it for Brax." Casey pleaded; he began to see Heaths face soften as he contemplated the idea in his head for a moment.

"Where is she?" Heath finally asked.

"Sydney." Casey replied instantly "Jake's hit man hasn't had much success in finding her yet, he's heading back out this weekend." A deafening silence followed, you could hear a pin drop, Heath could swear his ears were bleeding from the revelation. He must have heard that wrong.

"This weekend…that's when dad's next road trip is…" Heath said, struggling to control the quiver in his voice. "…You said he's been going to Sydney…" Heath muttered, his throat dried up and his words were constricted.

"Bingo, we have a winner. You got it Heath." Casey clapped sarcastically.

"Nah, no way." Heath said in denial, shaking his head viciously

"Dad's the hit man."

**Dun, Dun, Duuuunnnn! I hope you enjoyed that! I know some things are a mystery at the moment, I don't know if anyone picked up something odd about Charlie at the beginning (Hint Hint!) but it will all become clear soon! Please review, it keeps me motivated!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again!**

**I can't believe how great the response has been for this story!**

**Thank you for all of your lovely reviews, alerts, PMs, my list of thanks goes on!**

**Just to clear something up I am sorry about the confusion with the time frame! It has been 6 months since Charlie 'died' I must have forgotten to change it when Charlie said 'one year' in the last chapter when I was proof reading it! So sorry about that! X**

**Hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3: Unsung Hero**

**HEATH POV**

I walked down the beach, trying to clear my head of the revelations that had came to light yesterday, trying to make sense of the past six months. How could I possibly be the one to protect Charlie that was Brax's job? I wasn't capable or smart enough to help her. How am I supposed to find a ghost? I was torn out of my thoughts by watching Brax sitting on the sand dune hill, staring out into nowhere, fiddling with a small object in his hands. I saw it glisten in the sun. I wasn't sure whether to approach him or not, the main reason being because I knew the love of his life was out there somewhere and I couldn't trust myself to keep my mouth shut.

I'd watched his life spiral out of control for months on end. I knew he'd tried to pull it back together but some things are just to damn broken to repair, he'd tried with Natalie; really tried, but anyone could see that it was all just some brave façade, everyone except Natalie. I'd walked in yesterday night to them in Angelo's kissing. We hadn't uttered a word to each other since. My heart broke in two for Charlie at that point. I wanted to cry for her. I wanted to know where she was. I was determined to find out. But Sydney's such a huge city. Where the hell do I start?

I sat down beside Brax, my feet spread out in front of my over the sandy hill. He didn't acknowledge me; he was too engrossed in the object in the palm of his hand. But he knew I was there. "Brax-"

"I'm busy Heath." Brax replied nonchalantly. I didn't push him, I never did. I'd learnt not to. I could see he wanted to break down, he had good days without Charlie and he had bad days without Charlie, this was another bad day. They'd become more regular since her birthday; his relationship with Natalie had become more strained as well. I personally think its because he can't let her in. He would but then she'd realize just how much he still loves Charlie. And she'd leave him too.

"What you got?" I asked, gesturing towards his hand. He stilled momentarily before opening the palm to reveal a diamond ring. I looked at him confused. There was no way he'd propose to Nat. Then I realized, it wasn't for Nat, it was for Charlie.

"Charlie? You were going to ask her to marry you…" I said, it was more of a statement than a question. My heart tore to pieces. Now she was out their somewhere and he was sat here with the key to her future. I heard him sniff and it was only then that I realized my brother who has looked after me since before I can remember had no one. I sit here, and I'm able to say I have a son, I have a daughter, I have my future wife in my life. Casey had Ruby there waiting for him, who did Brax have?

"I was gonna ask her the night we got to the city…our apartment had a skylight, I would have asked her in bed, looking up at the sky, but now its just cheesy romantic crap." Brax muttered, I shook my head, looking at my brothers torn exterior.

"Cost me $4000 dollars. It took me a while to find it but I did, the perfect ring for Charlie…and now she's gone, her flames burnt out." I saw him shake his head and look out to the distance. I could see he was trying to maintain his tough composure, keep his ego in tact but I could see through it. "We were gonna grow old together…what a joke." He said, tossing the ring between the palms of his hands

"Nah, it ain't a joke." I said, he turned his head to me "I can bet you love Charlie twice as much as I love Bianca, and I couldn't imagine spending my life without her. If anything mate her death has made you twice the man you were" I said taking the ring from him and holding it in my hand "This isn't a joke." I said, holding up the ring to him "Neither are you." I finished, placing the ring in his palm.

"It never seems to get any easier you know." Brax admitted, for once we were having a civilized conversation, and opening up to each other. I could see his hand clenching

"It will do mate." I said reassuringly, I just saw him shake his head and hold the ring up to his lips, pressing the diamond against them repeatedly.

I walked away from that conversation knowing one thing. I had to find Charlie.

* * *

**3****rd**** PERSON POV**

Charlie stood by herself in a towel, the material draping loosely over her body, clinging slightly to her stomach. She traced her hand over her face, staring back at the foggy figure in the mirror. She couldn't remember who she was anymore, she didn't know who Charlie was, and she couldn't picture her old life in her future anymore.

Everything seemed to go wrong for her. She seemed doomed for a life of solidarity, on her own. Just her. It was time to face the facts. Brax wasn't going to come and hold her in his arms anymore. She had no one to sleep with. No one to call her mummy. She had nothing anymore, nothing that made her who she used to be.

She thought about going back to Summer Bay. She thought every single day. It's what she lived for. Summer Bay. Just the mere thought of seeing Brax from a distance or the sensation of feeling her daughter's arms around her was enough to push her through. She often wandered where Brax's life was at now, who he was with, what he was doing, did he even live in Summer Bay anymore? She sighed as she slipped on her black maxi dress, another day at the station.

Shock horror, she'd gone back to being a police sergeant again, yet she wasn't allowed out on duty at the moment, not quite yet.

Even if she tried to run they'd find her, but she needed to give them credit, all of them, her councilor, her boss…they were all there if she needed them, yet she felt so alone, like she was drowning and no one was coming to save her. She knew they all loved her in there own way, yet none could love her like Brax could, none could love her like Ruby could. She couldn't face the possibility that she'd never feel that again. You would have thought six months could heal emotional scars. It didn't.

The sun was high in the sky as she stepped onto the worn streets of the Sydney suburbs, her body cool in the humidity due to her clothing choice. She strolled along the sidewalk, her phone to her ear, chatting away to one of her few friends Amanda. Everyone knew her as Saskia. That was her name, no one knew of her past, they knew of her cover story. Everyone except constable Joyce.

Her sunglasses were slipped over her eyes, a feeling she loved to savor in her dangerous world. She could look at people and they couldn't see where she was looking. It was a bad habit of hers, scanning the area she stood in, you can't trust anyone, even people you've never met. Strangers, never trust them.

She felt the wind whip through her hair as she turned to walk through the Royal Botanic gardens, the city skyline in the near distance. She hung up the phone on Amanda and continued her daily walk from her apartment. Everything was livelier in the city today, maybe because it's a Saturday she thought. She stopped as she saw a man leaning against a tree a few yards away, staring intently at her from a distance. There was something familiar about him, she couldn't put a pin on it. But she'd seen him somewhere. The minute their eyes met he turned away, as if he'd never been watching, but he was. She'd felt it. She stalled for a second before considering her options. Various people excited via various routes through the park. Follow the crowd, she thought. It's safer that way. As soon as she exited left with a main stream of people, he immediately followed. She could feel his eyes on the back of her head.

Run.

She broke out through the masses of people, not running but eager enough to get away. She didn't know what to do, she could hear people moaning and yelling as she weaved through them all, trying to get away as quickly as possible, and she could hear others shouting out at somebody else, not her, as they too pushed through the crowds behind Charlie.

* * *

**3 HOURS EARLIER**

**SUMMER BAY**

"Where do you think you're going Heath?" Bianca asked frustratingly as she watched Heath pile his stuff into a tiny rucksack.

"I told you, up the coast." Heath replied abruptly, sighing as she lingered annoyingly by the door. "Bianca, I've already said this, I'm going up the coast with dad."

"But what about me? What about Rocco?" She begged, looping her arms around his neck and pressing her body to his.

"This is something I gotta do." Heath replied, pushing himself out of her grasp and slinging his bag over his shoulder. He sure as hell was going to miss his family, but Buckton's death was tearing Brax apart, more than he'd care to admit. Bianca was just about to argue again when they both heard the front door open and someone's footsteps in the kitchen.

"Whoa sorry to break up the party." Brax said as Heath and Bianca trawled out from their bedroom, they both smiled as Brax held a distressed Rocco in his arms, neither of them having noticed his screaming through the commotion and racket of their arguments. "You know you might want to take it down a notch, I can hear you two from the street." Brax chuckled before gently placing Rocco back down in his crib.

Neither Bianca nor Heath answered, both of them stood in silence.

"What's with the rucksack?" Brax frowned as he noticed the bag on Heath's shoulder.

"He's going up the coast." Bianca snapped her eyes burning into the back of Heath's head as she spoke. Brax stared inquisitively at Heath; no road trip up the coast was mentioned earlier.

"What that's it? This idea just sprung into your head and now what? You're just gonna leave Bianca and Rocco?" Brax asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"No, that's not how it is. I didn't realize I had to consult with everyone before I left!" Heath defended, rolling his eyes as Brax scoffed and shook his head, running his hands through his hair.

"Well mate, you do have other responsibility's now." Brax raised his voice as he pointed to Rocco.

"Clearly he doesn't understand the concept of parenting." Bianca interrupted, shaking her head before storming upstairs and slamming the bedroom doors, making Rocco scream out again.

"Look, mate, one day, you'll thank me, I promise." Heath said softly, slapping his shoulder as he walked past before heading out the door.

Next stop.

Sydney.

* * *

**PRESENT **

**SYDNEY**

Heath sighed, running his hands exasperatingly through his hair, he'd lost sight of his dad. He'd seen her. He'd followed behind her...and his dad.

And now he'd lost her.

He was yards away and she'd slipped through his fingers.

Now, there was a lone woman about to be assassinated by a middle aged, grey haired, snake of a man.

She hadn't changed one little bit. He could have sworn everything about her was the same as 6 months ago. She still had the same picture of youth about her. Her frame was just as slender and her legs just as long. But if you knew Charlie Buckton before she 'died', you cold tell, something wasn't right. The warmth didn't radiate from her, it used to, even at a distance. She'd blocked herself off from civilization. Closed her walls around her and no one was going to get in. Not Heath anyway, he'd lost that chance half an hour ago.

His legs tired as he walked aimlessly through the crowded, sticky streets of Sydney, his forehead beading with wetness from the intense heat and his back slicked with sweat from his rucksack. What was he even doing?

He was in a huge city, looking for two people, one of them incredibly important, how was he supposed to find them now? They could be anywhere.

He was disheartened as he walked through the bustling walkways of the Botanic Gardens, his head bobbing from side to side with his body, he was moving in autopilot now, not even registering who was just ahead of him.

Suddenly he caught a glimpse of her, her long dark hair swaying down her back and the straps of her maxi dress cutting low, exposing her tanned skin. Not to far behind, a lone grey haired figure hung back, his body hunched against a tree. He watched the scene unfold around him. She knew she was being watched. Of course she did, she was an ex cop!

Before he knew it he was running as fast as his legs would carry him, gaining even ground against his dad, she wasn't even running, just walking slightly faster than everyone around her, she was shady that's for sure. He slowed as he saw a quick shortcut through the field, darting through the long grass he hid behind the row of lined trees, waiting for her footsteps to get closer and closer.

**CHARLIE POV**

I could feel my chest constricting as I continued to try and get away from him, I shouldn't be running, I knew that, but what other choice did I have? I continued down the path lined with trees, repeatedly telling myself it would be ok, I'd get away. Just as the thought crossed my mind I immediately felt someone encase me with his or her arms and pull me off of the main walkway. The strength took my breath away. I immediately went to scream for help but felt a harsh hand clamp over my mouth. I could feel his harsh breathing against my neck, but he did nothing, we sat firmly, hidden behind one of the trees under the shade, me trapped in his grasp. He had no weapon, I was sure of that, and this was definitely not the same man following me, for starters, his clothes were different.

"He's gone…" The voice whispered softly into my ear. I felt all of the air exit my lungs as I heard that voice. Surely that couldn't be right?

**HEATH POV**

I felt her body go rigid in my arms after I spoke, her whole body tensing as I loosened my grip on her. I smiled slightly as she turned around, her eyes meeting mine in an intense stare, her features dumbfounded, her mouth agape. She went to speak but more air just exited her lungs as she struggled for breath. I chuckled at her as tears fell from her eyes, making dark tram lines down her cheeks, she whipped them away, but it was no use, more took their place, trickling down to her chin, hanging on the edge for a second before dripping off and onto her dress.

"Geez Buckton I'm not that bad looking am I?" I grinned cheekily, laughing as she giggled, more tears falling from her eyes as we knelt in front of each other.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see your ugly mug again!" She whispered breathlessly, pulling me in for an embrace, her arms choking my neck. It was then I knew. She was lonely. Hell, if she was happy to see me she must be.

"Always a pleasure Buckton, always a pleasure." I smirked, squeezing her tiny frame a little tighter as I held on to her. There was no way I was gonna let her out of my sight.

I held her gently into my chest as I arched my neck around the tree and tilted my head out onto the walkway; just to make sure that dad had gone for good. Satisfied I stood up, quickly taking Charlie's hand in mine and pulling her gently out onto the path, keeping close to the trees just incase we needed to hide again. I did this until we got out onto the hustle and bustle of the main streets, other people were our safety net then, trouble was though, they were dads too. I saw Charlie constantly craning her neck to see if anyone was following. She had now slipped some sunglasses over her eyes and kept her body close to mine, trying to hide herself. After all she was the target.

I stopped as she took my hand and led me down another street, even more crowded full of people, bodies constantly brushing past the pair of us, she turned and looked at me through her shades, "Correct me if I'm wrong but a hit man comes after me and at the same time you pop out of nowhere, I'm glad to see you but-"

"Well what can I say Buckton I'm an unsung hero." I interrupted as a joke, I frowned as she didn't laugh, she just pulled me to the mouth of an alleyway and stopped,

"How do I know you're not leading him to me?" She asked anxiously, her eyes darting around us and out onto the street,

"Believe it or not I have a baby now Buckton, I've turned my life around." I said, looking at her dead in the eye,

"I didn't mean you could be doing it knowingly I just meant…" She trailed off. I nodded understandingly. From her point of view some guy was stalking her and all of a sudden of all people Heath Braxton comes to her rescue.

"Yeah I get what you meant but trust me he has no idea that I'm here," I said smugly, smiling slightly as she looked at me, her eyebrows now raised,

"You make it sound as though it's personal." She implied, scuffing her foot backwards and forwards along the floor.

"That's coz it is" I said quietly, my voice straining as I turned my neck around behind me and up the street

"You gonna tell me?" I heard her ask, I shook my head and pulled her over to my side of the alleyway,

"As much as I'd love to now's not the time…he's at 11 o'clock 100 yards away," I said through gritted teeth, both of us curling our heads around the side of the wall.

"You know him well to spot him from that distance…" Charlie muttered, somewhat impressed, I shrugged and nodded,

I nodded and squinted as dad drew out a map from his pocket. "You could say that." I mumbled, although as of now my dad was dead to me. Sure I was no fan of Buckton, but her 'death' had messed with my brothers' head and now at the same time I find out she's alive, the same person is trying to take her away again. "I take it your place is that way." I said, throwing my thumb over my shoulder as dad finished surveying the map in his hands and began walking the opposite way to us

"Yeah, why?" she frowned, furrowing her brow at me above her glasses

'Is there another way round because I don't reckon we really want to bump into him." I said, she nodded quickly and lead me across the street, taking me down a few other roads before we went down an alleyway and through a back entrance of some posh apartment block. I watched as she pulled out a card from her bag and swiped it through a doorway before taking me up some stairs at the back, secluded from everyone else.

"Why are you doing this Heath?" she asked as we walked along the top floor corridor with only a couple of rooms.

"You're precious cargo Buckton." I chuckled, she just rolled her eyes and stopped at a doorway, taking out her key and scuffling with the lock, her eyes darting up and down the corridor to make sure no one was coming, not that she really knew who exactly to look out for. "I ain't letting you out of my sight…for Brax and Ruby's sake, I'm gonna keep you safe." I said. I watched as her body momentarily stilled

"Who is he Heath?" She asked anxiously and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"That Buckton, you don't need to know the details of. On a need to know basis."

"Its my life on the line here I'm pretty sure that's classes as need to know." She portested, crossing her arms defensively over her body.

"As long as I play my cards right, your life won't be on the line." I said adamantly, watching dads retreating figure as he disappeared into the crowds.

"And if you don't?"

"Then I'll be the one with the guilty conscience." I deadpanned. It was then I decided, I was gonna do this for Brax. They needed each other more than anything she had to know that.

She must know that.

**I hope you all enjoyed that! I know it was fairly easy for Heath to find Charlie but I thought it would be kind of boring if it took him a few chapters just to find her, i also wanted him to put aside his old issues with Charlie and put Brax first for once, so I hope I did that well! :) **

**Please review, alert, or PM, it motivates me so much! X**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again!**

**Wow I am astonished with the sheer amount of reviews, I can't thank you enough, keep them coming!**

**I've had some people pm me, however I haven't been able to reply because their pm reply function is blocked, so to answer someones question, I will try to bring Kyle Braxton in somehow if I can! If you have any other ideas you would like to pm me, please don't hesitate! **

**Enjoy! X**

* * *

**CHAPTER 4 – That shirt**

"Sure enough this is yours?" Heath asked, astonished as he took in Charlie's plush apartment. It wasn't anything spectacular but compared to the old suburbs of Mangrove River it was indeed pure class.

"Make yourself at home." Charlie chuckled as Heath fell back onto the large leather couch by the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the Botanic Gardens. He still couldn't take it all in as he watched her try to make a coffee for them both in the kitchen, sure enough he was talking to a dead woman. There was no mistaking she was real.

Even though Heath and Charlie weren't close, he noticed everything about her was the same, the way she leaned back slightly when she walked, like a model on a catwalk. How she pursed her lips when juggling various items in her hand. How when she stood still one of her legs bent heavily at the knee, supporting the rest of her body. Although one thing was distinctly different, sure she juggled various items in her hands he furrowed his brow intensively as he watched her struggle to lift the kettle, in a defeatist manor she sighed and placed it back down again, exhaling deeply and then lifting it, with both hands. Only managing to lift it slightly off of the worktop.

He shook his head to himself, why in Gods name hadn't she left this place. He continued to watch her as she walked towards the fridge and turned to the side, tucking the milk carton into one of the shelves. It was only then that he realized what should have been obvious to him from the start.

How could he not have noticed?

He felt his lungs constrict as he leant back heavily into the couch, his eyes drifting their gaze towards the ceiling in disbelief.

"How far along Charlie?" He asked in barely a whisper, his hands pressed together palm to palm in a prayer shape, his index fingers slowly tracing over his lips. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her ease into the couch, one arm firmly leaning on the cushions to support her. He heard no answer.

"How far along?" He repeated persistently, not daring to look at her.

"Nearly seven months."

Turning back to her he truly took her in. Everything about her, he could see the real Charlie there that was for sure, but it was only now, sitting with her in conversation that he took in the dark circles under her eyes…either lack of sleep, or crying he thought. Her hair had a glossy shine to it, as it should do in pregnancy.

"Around the time of the Reefton Lakes right?" he asked, he watched as she pursed her lips,

"Reefton Lakes?" She asked, her hands tucked firmly over her small, yet protruding, petite bump. Heath frowned and nodded faintly,

"Yeah…Reefton Lakes." He chuckled as if it was obvious. She nodded warily, before shrugging her shoulders up and down and sighing deeply, the confusion in her eyes refusing to go unnoticed by Heath.

"Looks like we all got a bit of luck that night aye?" he asked, sighing and dropping his head as she nodded vaguely. He watched as she tapped her fingers on the arm of the sofa, letting them making a rapping noise on the material as she fidgeted, as though she was trying to keep things together, "You can't be doing this alone Charlie." He interjected, taking a step towards her,

Charlie scoffed and shook her head, "Well I am Heath, it's a bit late for that." She retorted softly, trying to keep her voice calm and collected, but her insides were churning in a pit of sadness.

Heath threw his head back in disbelief and ran his fingers exasperatingly through his hair. "Surely you must know how tough it's been for Brax, for everyone!" Heath yelled, startling her slightly, causing her to jump. His eyes instantly filled with guilt and remorse as she slashed a pained and broken look at him,  
"And you think it's been easy this end! You think I've spent the past 6 months living in pure bliss? Is that what you think Heath!" she snapped angrily, her voice raising in distress, "I'm on my own. I have no one! I have no one left Heath, no one." She said, finishing in merely a whisper.

"Charlie, I know how you feel." Heath said, a small sympathetic smile flashing across his face,

"Do you?" she asked, furrowing her brow, "You still have Bianca. You have your family. Mine was taken from me." She swallowed the lump in her throat that arose at the thought of them, Heath just looked down, knowing that she was right.

He had no idea.

"I had no choice Heath. None. I woke up and he wasn't there, Ruby was gone." She said, her voice high pitched and strained as she spoke, "Do you wanna know what the hardest part is? I saw my own daughter crossing the street the other week and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't talk to her; I had to walk the opposite way, my own child Heath. And I had to walk away." She cried, sucking in a deep breath to restrain her emotions, she wasn't about to let herself crumble in front of Heath.

"Well what happened to the Charlie that stuck up for herself, the stubborn Charlie?" Heath asked, trying to bring some hope into her lonely soul.

"She's gone Heath! She is gone and she is not coming back!" she yelled exasperatingly, "I wanted that stereotypical happy ending with him-"

"Say his name." Heath demanded, watching as she stilled before slightly shifted on the spot, her body rocking slightly backwards and forwards as she refused to look at him,

"You won't say his name." heath said, leaning on the counter opposite her and sweeping his hands along, trying to eliminate the imaginary dust. He squinted through narrow eyes as Charlie looked up at him and drew in a sniff, her eyes looking at him piercingly with loss; she was pining for Brax, wanting him, needing him.

"I wanted that stereotypical happy ending with Brax…" she said softly, wiping her fragile tears falling from her eyes with the back of her hand, "Like a normal couple…what a joke." She chuckled in disbelief, shaking her head from side to side and dropping her head as her tears harshly hit the surface beneath her and formed a small pool.

"Nah, Charlie it's not a joke." Heath said, making his way round towards her and placing a comforting hand along her back, he stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose and she pushed his hand away from her and glared at him with an anger in her eyes he'd never seen before,

"Really Heath? Look where you are!" She yelled desperately, holding her arms up in the air, he swallowed a lump as he looked around, sure her apartment was everyone's cup of tea, but it wasn't personal it wasn't homely, it felt cold, there were no memories framing the walls, none of Charlie's personality shining through, it was like a new unfurnished home waiting for someone to claim it as there own. she nodded at him as a look of sadness and realization came across his face, "I just want to forget that my old life ever existed. It'd make things a lot easier." She whispered, tilting her head to the ceiling to will the tears back,

"Well how do you plan on doing that with Brax's baby Charlie? Have you thought that part through?" he asked sarcastically, pointing to her protruding stomach,

"This was never part of the plan Heath!" she snapped, pointing her hands at her bump and glaring at him painfully, her eyes red and puffy and her voice breaking to pieces as she spoke, "You just don't get it do you?" she asked, shaking her head and pursing her lips at him as he clenched his jaw, "I've lied to everyone Heath, everyone I ever loved thinks I'm dead. So you tell me how are you gonna fix that? How are you gonna make that right?"

* * *

**SUMMER BAY….**

The days seemed to roll by, some people had it lucky and they flew by, others, not so lucky and they found themselves consumed by their own painful thoughts. Staring at the clock didn't work for some, it didn't morph the pain knowing that each seconds your life ticks by you're one second closer to the person you love. It was the complete opposite, sure, you may be one step closer, but you have plenty more steps to climb.

Staring into the misty, murky orange of his bourbon shot Brax sighed. You could put him anywhere in the world, give him what every man would dream of, but that wasn't Brax's dream…his dream was Charlie. From other peoples point of view you could look at Brax's life and say it was pretty darn good. Successful business, caring brothers -whatever caring is- nice home near the beach. But when you worked your way through all the cracks the reality was bleak. But no one had been able to get that far, get that close to him. Not since Charlie.

Looking at Brax's life in detail made you see that maybe your bad week hasn't been so bad at all. All anyone saw when they looked at him was a shadow of his old self, that's because the good part of him resided with her. All people saw now was a broken man trying to hold back the floods of tears and despair and pave his way through the pot holed streets of life.

* * *

**BRAX POV….**

I am able to have the privilege of waking up to the sun-streamed beaches of Summer Bay, I have the privilege of people who I could call 'friends', the privilege of someone to keep the other side of my bed _warm _but what good was that when she wasn't who I wanted her to be? What good was it when I roll over every morning and expect tumbling brunette curls to be strewn down the pillows and instead I find a blonde girl sleeping peacefully, her sleep never interrupted by painful memories, her day never dashed of happiness by the sheer reality that is called _life_.

I've managed to sum my life up now. Its like I'm in a revolving door, going around and around in circles again and again.

It's so curious. One can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer... and everything collapses.

"We're closed." I grunted as footsteps clacked up the stairs of Angelo's yet again. People seemed to have a knack of picking their moments to walk in when all I wanted was to be alone. It was the fact that the one person I wanted to walk up them stairs never would. Every time I heard footsteps coming up I felt elated with hope and then battered by disappointment and reality. The grief had now become an anchor, I've become used to the weight, and how it holds me in place. How it takes over my life, but it keeps me sane. I can't imagine a day when I wouldn't be swallowed by this angry pit of loss. It wouldn't seem right that would be accepting that Charlie's gone. How can I accept that I'm never going to see the love of my life again, how can someone live with that?

I flinched at Nats fingers clicking in front of my eyes, snapping me out of my trance on the digital clock resting on the bar that yet again morphed into a flat line, tearing back the memories every single time. And yet the woman in front of me, the woman he was meant to care about, the woman he was sleeping with, had no idea, not a care in the world what went through my head each day, not a care that the single precious memories gave me something to hold onto. It's strange, when a person is born, we rejoice, when people get married we jubilate, but when they die, all everyone seems to do is try to pretend that nothing ever happened, like they never existed, they're just another playing piece on a board game, another grain of sand on a beach, another human out of 7 billion others.

"Do you know where Heath went?" Bianca asked, I looked at her and shook my head nonchalantly; I didn't really care quite frankly,

"Does it look like I know anything?" I asked sarcastically, sighing deeply when Bianca looked at me blankly, "There's your answer." I deadpanned, pouring myself some more bourbon and sculling it down my throat.

"Look, Brax, I guess I'm just here for your advice…"I heard Bianca say in the background, trying to catch my gaze that was now consumed in my own thoughts. I looked up at her and raised my eyebrows.

"Look I don't know what is going through Heath's head at the moment and I don't know what I've done to make him go wherever he's gone but…do I keep calling him or wait and see if he comes through?" she asked, I squinted for a second before looking up at her and smiling weakly.

"You wait. You never know when someone might pull through, if you give up what else do you have to hold onto?" I asked, watching as she nodded her head and smiled weakly back at me, she went to speak but I interrupted her, quickly,

"Look um- how about I give Heath a buzz later?" I offered, beginning to move around the bar and start laying out cutlery on the tables, trying to distract myself, trying to ignore Natalie as her gaze bruned on the back of my head.

**3****RD**** PERSON POV….**

"Brax don't clam up," Natalie begged, looking at him longingly and sighing, as did Bianca as Brax just stared blankly at the surface of the table as she spoke. ,

"I'm not Nat."

"What you've been through is one of the most harrowing things a person can go through-"

"So stop reminding me of it!" Brax snapped, his voice breaking as a lone tear flowed down his cheek. Bianca swallowed a lump and looked at him with sorrow, she'd only seen Brax cry three times, each was about her dead best friend, she knew then that Natalie needed to drop the situation and leave him to it.

"Brax please-" Natalie pleaded, reaching out to put her hand over Brax's to stop him laying out the cutlery.

"No I don't want _you_ to help me!" he snapped, wrenching his hand away from hers before speaking in barely a whisper, "Just stop trying, you're wasting your time." he murmured, turning his body away from her and pacing anxiously behind the bar. He watched Natalie nod faintly and leave the restaurant, yet Bianca's eyes still bore into the back of his head.

"Don't you think that was a little unfair?" Bianca asked, sympathizing with Natalie,

"Life is unfair Bianca." Brax deadpanned

"Brax-"

"No Bianca, she deserves better." Brax sighed, running a tired hand over his face as Bianca looked at him curiously, "I don't want to let myself get close to someone. I can't handle the thought of coming home and something happening to her too." He explained, his whole body shuddering at the memory, he watched as Bianca walked across the restaurant towards him, going to wrap her arms around him, only to be pushed back.

"No I don't want-" Brax began like protesting little boys do when they're trying to be manly,

"Will you just shut up and let it out." Bianca demanded, taking Brax into her arms, her eyes closing in relief as she felt him wrap his arms around her in response and tears slightly dampen into her top. There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, and of unspeakable love. Bianca pulled him closer, just to let him know that someone was there for him, someone was trying to be there in the right way.

* * *

**Sydney**

"Hey…" Heath said later that evening as he came out of the shower and found Charlie sitting on the foot of her bed with a picture frame of her and Brax in her hands,

"You haven't seen him Charlie…" Heath said, glancing up at her, he saw her wince at the subject as she got up and put the picture back on her bedside table; she closed her eyes momentarily before throwing Heath a cautious look.

"For some strange reason I think it's better off that way." She muttered, "I wouldn't trust myself." She added, beginning to fluff up the pillows, for him,

"I've heard that one before." He said, raising his eyebrows slightly,

"Yeah and look where it got me to Heath." Charlie said, a small smile quickly scraping the surface of her skin as she thought of the memories of Brax "You know I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be so happy to see you." She chuckled, Heath nodded,

"You must be pretty lonely here on your own." He said absentmindedly, silently cursing himself under his breath as he realized what he'd just said, he closed his eyes as Charlie nodded faintly and her eyes clouded up "Hey, hey Charlie…" he said, walking over to her quickly and holding her to him, his arms rubbing soothingly up and down her back, "I'm here for you, got it?" he asked, pulling away and stroking his thumb against her cheek.

"I feel so alone Heath, I want a cuddle from Brax," she whimpered against his chest, her hands clawing slightly against his skin, as though it were a release of the pain. "Nothing hurts more than waiting since I don't know what I'm waiting for anymore." she whispered as Heath pulled away "I don't have a future, I don't have anyone to love-"

"You have a future Charlie, you have a future with the little one," he said, placing his hands on her stomach gently, he watched as Charlie shook her head and wiped her tears away furiously from her eyes.

"All this baby does is remind me of what I haven't got." She said softly, her voice choked up in an almost inaudible whisper as her hands clenched into small tiny fists of anguish, he watched as she tilted her head up to the ceiling before blinking back her tears a few times and somehow managing to control her emotions, he sighed as she walked away, she was just like Brax, the minute you got close they clam up and you never get in, not completely, "I made up the bed for you, and there's an ensuite through there." She pointed towards the doorway leading off of the back of the room before turning and heading out of the bedroom and into the lounge, Heath shook his head as she walked out, she was obviously trying to avoid bringing up their previous conversation again, deciding to prevent upsetting her he didn't bring it up.

"And where are you gonna sleep?" Heath asked, Charlie stopped in the doorway, her fingers tapping the wooden frame gently as she turned around.

"On the sofa." She said and walked out into the main living area.

"No way Charlie, I'm not letting you sleep on the sofa." Heath said, pulling her back gently,

"Yes you are." Charlie said defiantly

"No I'm not, Charlie, you're pregnant-" Heath argued, beginning to walk to the sofa himself,

"And perfectly able to sleep on a sofa Heath." Charlie argued back before he could finish

"Charlie-"

"Heath!" She snapped,

"Look, shut up and take the bed." He cut her off, pointing her towards the bedroom, "Pregnant lady takes priority." He winked, causing Charlie to roll her eyes,

"Guest takes priority." She said back, sticking her tongue out at him as he tried the think of a comeback.

"Look if you wanna do this I can sleep in there with you." Heath said, laughing when Charlie's eyes widened in horror, "Yeah that's what I thought now chuck me a pillow and I'll take the couch." He said, ushering her into the bedroom.

"Fine." Charlie muttered, allowing him to walk her to the bed. She sat down on the egde of it and propped her pillows up, "What?" Charlie frowned, her brow furrowing as Heath's eyes sat firmly on the framed picture of her and Brax on her bedside table. He hadn't noticed what picture it was when he saw her holding it earlier but now seeing what it was it gave him an eerie sense of overwhelming sadness, pity and sympathy. It was the same picture Brax had on his bedside table, the two of them on the beach, her hand splayed out to the camera as if she's catching her memory in her hands, their faces were shown between her fingers, his eyes full of life, love, happiness,

"Nah, its just…Brax has that same picture of you guys on his bedroom side." Heath murmured softly, his gaze still fixated hazily on the photo frame. The saltwater droplets were trickling down their faces from the sea and the picture presented a scene of pure elation. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of guilt as the light reflecting the picture reflected his own memory '_maybe you should tell your mates down at the station who you're really sleeping with' _he swallowed a lump of remorse at how he'd been so disruptive towards Charlie, he couldn't deny he was part of the reason she wasn't where she was supposed to be, part of the reason she wasn't home.

"He does?" Charlie asked faintly, picking at the hem of Brax's shirt she'd pulled out of her cupboard to put on for bed.

"Yeah…its his favourite picture of the two of you…" Heath trailed off, smiling weakly at Charlie whose eyes glistened with tears in the faint light.

"It's the only picture I have…" She choked up, bringing his shirt up in a bundle towards her face, burying her head in the faint scent the laid on the fabric.

"That shirt looks familiar too." Heath said as she inhaled deeply, trying to think, remember what Brax had felt like, how he'd held her, kissed her, and loved her.

Charlie nodded, "Brax always left it at my place…he let me keep it in the end." She said soflty "It just um-"

"Helps you sleep?" Heath cut her off, nodding his head understandingly, before beginning to walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, stilling in the doorway and turning to face her,

"Doesn't have the same effect though…does it?" he asked knowingly.

And just like she did every night, she dragged herself to bed,

And whispered how much she loved him, as if he could hear her.

**I hope you enjoyed that!**

**I really wanted Charlie and Brax to find comfort in the same things, each others clothes (hence Charlie wearing Brax's shirt, The smell of Charlies silk night slip Brax had in Chapter 1 and of course the same picture) so I hope that came across well!**

**Pretty please do keep reviewing; it's a lovely feeling reading all of your comments! X**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello!**

**Wow I am amazed with all of your reviews! I'm so flattered that you are all enjoying this story! Enjoy this Chapter!**

**Chapter 5: A heart full of steel**

He watched as her chest rose and fell slightly. There was something standing out to him. She had her arm outstretched and her leg draped as though someone was there.

As though Brax was there.

It was as though she was making her body believe that she wasn't alone. As though her body refused to recognize the absence of such a strong presence that had once been there and continued to overthrow her. It was this that made her unrecognizable, that and the other few things about her, he'd tried not to notice yesterday but couldn't help himself acknowledging when she became lost if he mentioned a specific event, or she struggled with lifting the kettle or 2 mugs at a time. She would often take one, carry it with 2 hands and come back for the other. He sighed and closed the door, leaving her in the secluded darkness of her bedroom.

His eyes fell upon the view from the apartment, the water outside of darling point glistening in the morning sunrise, the ripples uninterrupted in the tide, each one slowly getting lost in the open waters. He could see why she'd picked the place, it was close to the water, and the back view was of Blackburn cove and double bay, not that Charlie had ever loved the beach loads but Heath knew she loved going for a walk or a run or sometimes just to watch Brax surf and cheer him on from the sidelines. Heath sighed and turned his back on the shadows rippling over the water. There was something simmering beneath the surface of Charlie. She wasn't herself; Heath knew that, you didn't have to be a genius to notice. She seemed a lot more subdued, a lot less feisty, he'd seen glimmers of the old Charlie last night, bubbling up to the surface, and then like a sparkling drink would, she went flat again. Those were the moments he failed to recognize her, those were the moments he was pretty sure, she didn't fully recognize him, and she didn't fully understand what he was saying.

It was only when he turned around from the view that he forgot his worries about Charlie and noticed the small brown envelope on the floor, slightly crinkled and not sealed completely. He pushed her bedroom door open slightly, content that she was still sleeping before padding hurriedly across the floor and picking it up. His eyes bulged out of his skull at the contents. There were pictures of Charlie. A lot of pictures of Charlie.

She was doing normal things in each one. Walking. Talking to friends. Laughing with someone down the street, just general everyday life. He knew who it was. He knew who was trying to scare her. He knew this was just the beginning. He anxiously ripped up the photographs in to tiny shreds so that they were unidentifiable and wrapped them in kitchen roll before hastily putting them into the bin. He leant his hands on the worktop, his fist slamming onto the hard, cold surface harshly. As he brought his head up he stilled, he hadn't noticed yesterday, only now did he see the 2 small boxes on the side. He picked them up, trying to read the long words written on the side. Sighing at his own stupidity he skimmed over the back of each box, his eyes darting up every now and again to make sure Charlie hadn't come out of her room. He bit his lip as he read through, again, rubbing his forehead with shock before bringing his hands up to run through his hair. He chucked the box back down on the surface and slumped onto the sofa, his head in his hands that were supported by his knees.

He tore from his thoughts as Charlie's voice filled the room, "How'd you sleep?" She asked, laughing as she tilted his head towards her and gave her an unimpressed look "I take it not very well then?" she teased, making her way towards the kitchen. He watched as her eyes stilled on the boxes of medication for a second. Contemplating whether to take them or not. She stood still for a minute, before turning around and continuing her ministrations in the kitchen, suddenly pretending the small boxes on the side didn't exist. She felt fine. She coped with each day as it came and adjusted to any obstacles in her way. She didn't like for people to tell her she should do any different. She was sick of everyone, Joyce, her therapist, her physio, not believing that she could cope on her own, she wished they could see what she could do, rather than take notice when she struggled. She didn't need to be sheltered and smothered like a lost little girl.

"What do you actually remember then?" Heath asked suddenly, watching as Charlie's smile faltered and she stopped everything that she was doing,

"What do you mean?" She asked, shrugging it off and pretending to be clueless.

"I know you Charlie, you're hiding something." He spoke wisely, trying not to push her.

She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again and looking at Heath. She could see in his eyes that he'd changed, the Heath Braxton she once knew no longer stood before her. Instead of being a shadow of his old self like her, it seemed as though he'd made something of himself, increased his purpose of being, something that Charlie no longer knew about for herself. "I remember everything, apart from specific events, dates…I know who people are, I remember there presence just not places, the specifics…" she trailed off, watching as Heath nodded,

"Like Reefton Lakes." He clarified; she nodded sadly and twiddled her fingers around her wrists.

"It'll come back to me one day though." She said, her gaze drifting out of the window, instinctively in a northern direction, a glimmer of hope flashing through her eyes, as if there were a chance she would be able to see that same beach with the white sand and high waves. The same beach with the surf club bar sprawling out over the top of it, the same beach where the man she once knew, a man she loved often looked out of his restaurant balcony everyday and stared out onto the horizon, hoping she was out there watching over him, watching over her daughter.

"I suppose it's better knowing you're closer to them." Heath replied, watching as Charlie nodded slightly, although they both knew she was so close yet so far away.

"I don't get why you can't come back though?" Heath asked, peering at her through curious eyes.

"I think the incident the other day says it all Heath." Charlie said, "And besides, some people in Jakes gang still hang around the bay, I don't think I'd last long if they got wind I'm alive do you?" She asked rhetorically as she began to make them a drink.

"Here let me lift that." He said jumping up from the sofa as she went to pick up the kettle.

"Heath I can pick up a bloody kettle!" She snapped, closing her yes and running her hands over her face "I'm sorry." She muttered, her voice in an almost inaudible whisper to Heath. "I remember a lot-apart from specific events, like Reef." She stumbled, not quite sure what Heath had called it.

"Reefton lakes." He finished, she nodded silently in response. Heath nodded, unsure of how to process this. Charlie began to get back to what she was doing. Aware that Heath didn't quite know how to react. She picked up the kettle, holding it with both hands; she shuffled slightly towards the kettle stand, her weight firmly on her left leg, her right one flailing slightly in the air. She chuckled as his eyes moved up from her leg to her hands as she was fiddling with the mug, her palms angled in a precise way.

"It's rude to stare Heath." She teased, sighing, as his eyes still fixated on her hands, like a dog to a bone. "Just ask already." She chuckled, breaking his path of sight from her. "Why do you lift things with both hands? Why do you lean on one foot? What's wrong with you in general Charlie?" she fired up, laughing as his eyes still looked at her in a bit of a daze.

"You look alright to me." Heath chuckled, laughing as she flushed her signature Charlie blush as she used to whenever Brax complimented her. "I had to do that, just to make sure it still existed." He teased, laughing when she slapped his chest gently.

"To answer your array of questions I have Apraxia and Quadriparesis." She said triumphantly as she managed to get the words out.

"English?" Heath asked, throwing her a clueless look.

"I was in a coma for three weeks." She said, running her fingertip aimlessly around the rim of the mug, "After I um…died." She said faintly, her eyes not missing Heaths pained expression as she said those words, his mind wondering through each and everyday Brax had struggled to live with since then. "I had temporary memory loss, which subsided rapidly." She spoke quietly, "And now basically, I have difficulty carrying out normal, everyday tasks and a weakness of my limbs, they just hurt and ache a lot." She finished, smiling faintly as Heath looked at her blankly.

He nodded slightly, "So you can use them though?" he asked stupidly, his eyes darting between her arms and legs.

"You don't say Heath!" She laughed as he slapped his forehead, realizing the stupidity of his question. She smiled as Heath did, "I did once drop the kettle though, the water splashed and burnt my other hand." She said, showing him the faint pink tinged scars that ran over her right upper hand and lower arm. She watched as he hypnotically lifted her hand and traced his fingers over the faded skin, his eyes filled with fascination.

"But my legs are quite strong now, so I can stand on one foot." She said triumphantly, moving away from him and lifting one foot up. He laughed as she did so, the look of pure joy on her face, even though she was wiggling slightly and could only support her weight for around 5 seconds. "Took me 4 months for that." She grinned, her smile dropped as Heaths faltered, "Its not much really for four months is it…" She trailed off, beginning to play with her hands in embarrassment.

"Nah it is." Heath said quickly, "It's just I realized I have to go home tonight." He said faintly, he watched as Charlie nodded slowly, her face filled with a sudden downcast and disappointed look. He looked down at the floor. He didn't want to go but he had a girlfriend and a baby at home to look after. His dad was getting back that afternoon and so he had no reason to come back until his dad did. As much as he wanted to stay he couldn't. "I'll come back though, promise." He said, lifting up his pinky to hers, smiling as she took it and linked hers around his.

"I'll hold you to that Braxton." She said softly, a glimmer of a tear flashing in her eye as he pulled her to him, as close as her bump would allow.

…**.**

Natalie hadn't seen Brax since their confrontation yesterday. She'd text him. She'd called him and she'd knocked on his door. But Brax being Brax was ignoring her, and doing a fine job of it too. She'd become used to it. Used to Brax's violent emotions and she knew that forcing the 'Charlie issue' never worked, and he only alienated her even more. Brax always pushed her away; it was even more difficult that everyone around them stuck up for him. 'He's been through a hard time' Leah would say, or 'I don't know why you're bothering,' Ruby had once told her. His 'daughter' had made it pretty clear that she should give up on him, Ruby didn't want to see him alone, but she knew that's how Brax wanted things to be. He couldn't go on pretending Natalie was Charlie forever.

Natalie loved his loyalty to Charlie, how he felt it his duty to protect her from anything or anyone that would have hurt her when she was alive. Yet he couldn't grasp the concept that she was gone. His loyalty therefore became one of the things Natalie despised about him. He was blinded by undying love to someone he could no longer have.

So when he knocked on her door the following Sunday evening, her and Leah couldn't help but be surprised at his sudden turn around.

Leah raised her eyebrows when she opened the front door to a wavering Brax, his body language screaming with anxiety but his exterior otherwise calm. He looked as Brax normally did. Checkered shirt, dark jeans, the usual.

"Hey um look I just wanted to apologize to Nat for earlier." Brax said anxiously, Leah nodded skeptically and watched as he twisted the silver ring around on his finger.

"Really?" Leah asked, her eyes widening as she move her head in a slow mocking nod, "I'm sure she'd be thrilled." Leah said with false enthusiasm, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Brax sighed and leant his knuckle on the doorframe, rapping them lightly against the wood in slight frustration "I reckon I was out of line, I wouldn't be surprised if she was angry or-"

"Well can you blame Her?" Leah scoffed, her tone coming out more venomous than intended, her knuckles squeezing the door handle tightly, restraining herself from knocking some sense into him. "No one likes to feel rejected." Natalie said softly, Leah and Brax both turned their heads around as Natalie paced lightly into the room, tugging on the drawstrings of her dressing gown.

She down at the floor briefly before peering up at him through heavy eyes; Leah sighed and held her hands up, backing away from the door and letting Natalie take over, but listening with a roaming ear to their conversation, praying they would sort things out. She tired of sorting out Brax and Natalie's problems, tired of Natalie moping and tire of Brax pretending as though he was iron man, with no emotions at all, his heart full of steel.

"Well I know it's not the perfect situation that we're in but what do you want me to do?" Brax shrugged, leaning casually on the doorframe in front of her, his shoulders slouched and his posture slightly slumped. Natalie scoffed

"You know you sure do have a great knack of letting people in and then pushing people away" she snorted, her arms folding over her body defensively, something she didn't like to do. It was like a shield, separating them,

Brax sighed and nodded his head "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be taking all of my issues out on you. It's not fair." Brax said sincerely, he watched as she slowly dropped her arms to her sides and nodded slightly. "Can I er?" he asked aimlessly, pointing into the house, she nodded and stepped aside, watching as he brushed past her and walked into the living room, his body stiffening slightly as his eyes were confronted with the carpet. It was something Natalie had noticed, when Brax did come in, which wasn't often, he was drawn to that spot for mere seconds and then he would turn around and try and forget where he was and get on with the day.

"Look, um how about we just forget about today and wipe the slate clean and start afresh tomorrow." She offered, watching as he turned around, clasping and unclasping his tensed hands.

"Well I tried that about 6 months ago," he explained, looking sadly at Leah as she came into the room, her steps instantly slowing and stilling as she heard what he was talking about. "Packed everything up, ready to leave and now look at me. I have one brother in jail, one whose packed his bags and gone god knows where and a dad that we're better off without." He sighed heavily, nodding to himself, as though he was reassuring himself to go on.

Natalie nodded and took a tentative step towards him "I'm up to date with your past Brax, you don't need to relive it." She said, watching as he twisted the ring around his finger and knitted his brows together before shaking his head at her.

"Nah you're too up to date, you've done a lot for me, Nat." he said generously, nodding his head at her. Natalie looked over to Leah, whose lips were pursed in wallowing sadness as Brax spoke,

"That's because I care, Brax." Natalie replied as she looked back at him,

He shook his head and clasped his palms behind him on the crown of his head, his eyes looking up slightly at the ceiling "You deserve better Nat, something less complicated, less dangerous." He said, bringing his arms down and swinging them by his sides,

"Maybe, but you can't decide what I want." Natalie spoke, her eyes clouding up as she realized what he was doing,

"I just don't want to come home one day and find out that something has happened to you 'cause of me." He said softly, his gaze instinctively drifting to the carpet at the side of him,

"You don't know that it will." She said, her voice choking up as her wavering hand quivered over her lips and she sucked in her tears,

"I never believed it would Nat but it did, it happened, and I can't just forget that."

"I'm not asking you to forget-"

"You are Nat. You're asking me to take a chance." Brax intervened, shaking his head gently as he looked at her, his eyes filled with care for her, but not love. Love was something Daryl Braxton only reserved for one person. "And that's a chance I can't take."

Natalie shook her head slightly in denial, the one time he'd decided to open up to her was now, and this was how he did it. She always wanted to know about Charlie to know that part of his life, yet he'd always shielded it from her. She had always felt as though she was up against a dead woman for his heart, and now she wished she hadn't wanted to know about Charlie, "That doesn't mean it will happen again-" Natalie started before Brax cut in.

"If we're not together I know that it won't." he said honestly, nodding to himself in reassurance. "I lost the love of my life Nat, because of me she's dead. She never got to say goodbye to anyone, and she never got to hear how much I love her." He said, looking down at the tattoo on his hand before raising his eyes to meet hers. "I can't do it again." He said in a mere whisper before walking over to her and planting a small, lingering kiss on her forehead. She nodded shakily as he dropped his palms from her cheeks and she watched his retreating frame walk out of the house.

…**..**

"You all set?" Charlie asked as Heath came out from the room with his small rucksack that he'd brought with him from the bay.

"Yep." He replied throwing her a weak and anxious smile. "I'll er…catch you sometime soon." He said, more as a statement rather than a question.

"Sometime soon?" Charlie chuckled with a raised eyebrow, a glimmer of disappointment flashing through her eyes.

"Careful Buckton, you almost sound like you'll miss me." Heath laughed, chuckling as she giggled,

"What can I say I've grown attached." She said sarcastically. "Seriously though- Thank you, you've been amazing." She said honestly, hugging him gently,

"Tell me something I don't know." He joked as she let go and rolled her eyes,

"Cocky."

"But right." Heath winked, tapping her nose with his finger, "See you didn't deny it." He grinned as she slapped his hand away jokingly. "And hey um- I can't begin to imagine how tough it is for you but-" he stopped as Charlie's mobile began to ring and she picked it up from the kitchen unit, her expression changing as she saw the caller id flashing across the screen.

"It's no one important."

"You don't look so sure about that." He said, pointing down at her phone.

**Charlie, please, rings me back. Please don't ignore me anymore. **

Charlie shifted uncomfortably on the spot as she read the messages from a few hours ago. She silenced it again as it began to ring and tossed it onto the couch, trying to rid her brain of the thoughts. She wasn't in the mood for people trying to reach out to her. She didn't want to try and be someone that she wasn't around other people. She was fed up trying to act as though she was happy.

"I'm sure Heath, trust me." She sighed her gaze lingering down at the floor as a tear finally fell from her eyes. She let it linger, running a slow track down the side of her cheek before wiping it away. As though enough was enough and she only needed to rid of the one tear, the one bit of pain, when really there were a million other pieces, a million other tears waiting to escape.

"Well the tear running down your face says the opposite." Heath said, a concerned tone to his voice.

"When did you get so smart?" Charlie chuckled,

"I've always been smart Buckton." Heath said cheekily, nudging her gently as she smiled weakly at him.

"If you were really smart Heath then you'd do your best to forget this weekend, and forget I existed." She said, her voice containing an underlying serious tone to it.

"And why would I do that?" he asked sternly.

"Because you're better off that way." Charlie said honestly. Her life wasn't meant to turn out like this; she couldn't drag Heath into it too.

"And what if I can't stay away?" Heath asked, chuckling at Charlie's bemused look on her face. "Because Buckton, you know as much as I do, you're not safe. If I were you, I'd rather someone was watching my back."

"You can't guarantee things will end how you want them to." She said simply.

"No but I'll try my bloody hardest." He stated adamantly in determination, "I owe it to Brax to tr-" Heath stopped as a loud knock rapped on the door. Charlie put her finger up to her lips and waited for the second knock.

"Charlie it's me, open up!" Morag's voice sounded from the other side. She looked at Heath wide eyed and ushered him back into the bedroom, both of them cursing under their breath. She chuckled as Heath clambered into the wardrobe, satisfied he was well hidden she jogged back out to the door.

…

"You seem different this evening?" Morag said as she walked in, looking at Charlie from head to toe, as though she was examining every inch of her.

"I do?" Charlie questioned, a bemused look upon her face.

"That's what I said wasn't it." Morag chuckled, "What I meant was, you look different." She said, almost as though it was a good thing.

"You got that from one look as you walked in." Charlie scoffed.

"Well from my knowledge of reading peoples expressions Charlie I would say you looked happier." She explained.

"Really? Take a picture then, I'm sure its brilliant for you to know I'm absolutely fine." Charlie said, glaring at the kitchen work surface in anger as she refused to look at her stepmother, her voice full of resentment towards her as she tried to ignore her presence in the room.

"Charlie I wasn't trying to upset you." Morag explained sympathetically, drumming her finger tips on the side as Charlie continued to ignore her, beginning to wipe the surface with her fingers, ridding of the imaginary dirt that resided there. Morag had noticed this lately. She'd seemed to pick up more of Mr. Braxtons traits, as if it brought her some kind of distant comfort.

"Well you did." Charlie muttered softly, just loud enough for Morag to hear her. She sighed and walked over to the sofa, flicking on the TV as she slumped down into the cool leather, trying to ignore Morag's burning gaze on the back of her head.

"You're just going to ignore me now?" Morag concluded, her hands clapping against her thighs in frustration as Charlie kept her gaze fixated on the TV screen, though her eyes burned through it, not really paying attention to what was playing.

"That's what someone tends to do when they don't talk to you." Charlie deadpanned, her gaze looking firmly at Morag this time.

"Well I tried ringing you and you didn't pick up so I came here." Morag argued, folding her arms across her body and looking at Charlie pointedly.

"Well your first clue was when I didn't pick up." Charlie spat smartly, turning back to the TV. She rolled her eyes as Morag snatched the controller from the coffee table and switched the TV off.

"Charlie, I understand you're angry but you can't stay like this forever." She begged trying to get Charlie to understand.

"Really try me." Charlie said simply, resuming her previous gaze at the now dead TV screen. She had every right to be angry at Morag. Her step mother knew she remembered Brax, Ruby, everyone in summer bay, yet her response was to 'get on with it' how was she supposed to just get on with her life when the life in her was left behind in summer bay? "What Morag?" Charlie asked, looking at Morag with clear annoyance and her voice filled with venom as Morag's eyes burned through her.

"Charlie I know how hard this is for you but I'm just trying to help." Morag pleaded desperately, sighing in despondency as Charlie got up from the sofa and moved away from her.

"Well quit whilst you're ahead." Charlie called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Charlie as much as I know you want to keep all of this bundled up, I really don't think it's a good idea." She said, following her stepdaughter back to the kitchen.

"What and pushing the matter is?" Charlie asked, raising her eyebrows and nodding her head in conclusion as Morag sighed and said nothing.

"Believe it or not Charlie I'm doing this for your own good. If this could have turned out any other way, I would have made it happen." She said, trying to get through to her stepdaughter. "Charlie you can try and run from your problems, but they'll follow you wherever you go."

Morag looked as Charlie dropped her head down slightly to the floor. Her demeanor was a vulnerability, a fragility that Morag had never seen before, it contradicted the head strong Charlie that she had seen for the past 5 years. "Who says I'm trying to run from them Morag?" Charlie spoke eventually.

"Me." Morag clinched, watching as Charlie ran her hand over her forehead in exhaustion of arguing constantly.

"Well you're wrong." She said weakly, looking at her step mum with no emotion on her face. Her whole expression tired and defeated.

"Charlie you need to understand that I have your best interests at heart."

"No you don't Morag. My interests went out the window the second I was taken from Ruby and Brax." Charlie finished, moving to the door and holding it open for Morag, gesturing for her to leave.

"I know you don't see it now, but You're in enough danger already, that man would put you in more danger if you went back, everyone around you can see that except for you." Morag spoke, "You need to wake up to reality Charlie." Morag said frankly "He's moved on, it's about time you did too." Morag said, leaving a picture taken of Brax hugging a blonde girl on the beach. Morag watched as Charlie picked up the picture and swallowed an evident lump in her throat and walked out regretfully. Enough was enough for one day.

"Geez that was rough." Heath said as he came out of the bedroom, ruffling his hands through his hair.

**I promise (hand on my heart) That you won't have to wait long for the special reunion! Nudge nudge hint hint…**

**Please review, I love to hear what you all have to say! x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello Lovely readers! :)**

**I am so happy you all love this story; I reckon you'll all like this chapter * nudge, nudge, hint, hint! * **

**For those of you that read lost then found, I will update next week, I am so sorry for long waits for updates, I just haven't found the time to write which is incredibly frustrating! But I promise, next week I will! X**

* * *

**Chapter 6- Well observed Einstein**

Heath stilled as he walked to the front door the following morning. He was a man that never gave up, a man who refused to be beaten. Yet here he stood in this situation, a man who felt defeated. He'd found himself alone in this battle he couldn't figure out if he could win. He found himself longing to tell his older brother, yet a part of him was telling him to hold off; he didn't know why, but if there was anything he'd learnt over the past few days it was to think before making rash decisions, apply knowledge where required and speak when the time is right.

He looked on silently at the all too familiar mess in the living room. The place had become his brothers' bachelor pad for the weekend. Disorganized and messy, but that was how Brax's life had gotten without Charlie, that was how he'd adapted and gotten used to things, and that's what everyone had to accept.

Brax had a Charlie shaped hole gaping in his heart and had tried to squash Natalie into it. It didn't work; Heath knew that, because deep down, despite his brothers' adamancy that he was fine, the mess he walked into at home, said otherwise. It was like a sign, the mess over the floor represented the pieces of Brax's heart scattered aimlessly all over the floor. And as Heath sighed and stepped over it all, it represented a greater issue, no one had the energy to pick Brax's life up and put it back together again, mainly because the only person who could do that was the reason it fell to pieces in the first place. And knowing that person was a mere hour away burned like a furnace in the pit of Heath's stomach. As clichéd as it was, she was literally so close yet so far away.

* * *

Brax sighed as he pulled into the driveway that morning. No word of a lie he'd pulled an all nighter at Angelo's. Not doing anything much, just thinking, thinking about Charlie. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't shift the aching pain in his heart. He'd tried with Natalie, he'd truly tried, but he couldn't learn to love her. How can you learn love? How can you learn a love like Brax loved Charlie? How is it possible for you to say someone's name as though you love them when really the name of the person you really love so eagerly wants to spill from your lips.

Slamming the door as he walked into the house, he tossed his keys into the kitchen at full strength in frustration, only stopping as he heard someone swear in pain. Brax chuckled as Heath emerged from the kitchen examining his arm carefully. "Cheers mate nice to see you too." He spat sarcastically as a small speck of blood trickled down his arm,

"So you decided to come back did you?" Brax asked with his eyebrows raised, rolling his eyes as his brother cracked open a bottle of beer with his teeth and sculled it down his throat, as if his absence was no problem to anyone.

"Alright what's got your feathers in a mess?" Heath asked frowning as Brax sat down slowly onto the sofa, his back leant hunched forward slightly.

"Nothing Heath." Brax spat sarcastically "Just do me a favour yeah? When this goes tits up don't come running to me." He spat accusingly, pointing his finger harshly at Heath.

"Geez calm down what's the matter with you?!" Heath yelled, worried by his brothers sudden outburst.

"Heath I'm not an idiot but whatever you've been doing-correction whoever you've been doing stops right now." Brax said, Heath stilled, sure he hadn't been dong Charlie but how the hell did his brother know he'd spent the weekend with a woman.

"What makes you think that? I haven't been doing anyone!" Heath said desperately yet defensively.

"Well whoever you've been with wears Charlie's bloody perfume!" Brax spat angrily, dropping his head into his hands and sighing in anger. He didn't dare look at Heath in fear of the tears that threatened to spill over. The whole house was silent. The only sound to be heard was the faint ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Heath felt a large amount of air leave his lungs at the guilt arising inside him.

He swallowed deeply, "Look Mate…if you really wanna know-" Brax cut him off

"Not really." Brax muttered sharply, shaking his head at his younger brother in disbelief.

Heath rolled his eyes and continued anyway, "I was with dad for the weekend, on our last night we went to some bar and some chicks were there." He lied; sitting next to Brax on the sofa in exactly the same position, chin resting upon clenched fists, elbows on knees.

"How many times have I told you not to go near that dog Heath?"

"I'm big enough and ugly enough to look after myself." Heath deadpanned.

"So that was it, that was your big reason you couldn't tell us where you were going?"

"Yep." Heath replied curtly "If I'd told you I would've got a lecture from you about responsibility and a look from Bianca." He chuckled when thinking about her.

"A look?" Brax asked inquisitively.

"Yeah you know one of those 'unimpressed' looks a lady gives you." Heath said, making Brax laugh.

"Whatever Heath." He muttered before taking the beer bottle from him and downing the rest of it himself. "Where you going now?" Brax asked with his arms in the air as Heath walked out the door.

"Going for a surf." Heath yelled through the window before running down the driveway.

* * *

She stopped as she walked up the stairs to Angelo's, the whole restaurant in an eerie silence with the only noise to be heard being the distant rumbling of the ovens. She glanced around slightly, her gaze catching on the all too familiar little balcony with the curtains fluttering in the wind. She smiled as she saw a glimpse of his checked shirt, the rest of him obscured from view. That's how Brax liked to be, the distant man, the one you have to look for to find.

He tilted his head up as he heard the patter of tiny dainty footsteps climb the stairs of Angelo's and echo throughout the restaurant.

"We don't open until twelve-" he stopped as he turned around and immediately relaxed back onto the rails of the balcony as he saw who it was.

"Just me," Ruby chirped as she saw him, walking up to him and hugging him tightly. She sighed as her gaze caught the half empty glass of bourbon that hung aimlessly in his fingertips.

"You know for someone who said they'd go easy on the drink you're not doing a very good job." Ruby said, raising her eyebrows at him and wondering what made him backtrack.

"What can I say I'm a pretty impressive guy aye?" Brax chuckled. She knew she was pushing it, everyone knew when Brax was having a drink, on his own it was a bad day, but to Ruby, there was just one too many bad days for her liking. Brax had supported her through everything, he'd saved her from a drug mix up and he'd helped her when Casey went to jail, they were still together but there were times she'd felt lonely and those were the times she had Brax as a parent figure, yet despite his fatherly advice, his rough and tumble cuddles and his calm and composed appearance, she saw what everyone else refused to see. And despite everything they had been through, he barely ever opened up and revealed his true feelings. She'd heard Leah saying he'd broken up with Natalie because he was scared harm would come to her, it was true, but not nearly as true as the fact that he still loved Charlie. His heart belonged to her.

"I just thought I'd drop by…I haven't seen you in a while." She said softly,

"Things to do, people to see." He said plainly

"Like Natalie?" Ruby asked knowingly, sighing, as she got no response. She huffed and took the drink glass from his hands before pouring it down her throat the harsh liquid burning like molten iron in the centre of her chest. She slammed the drink between them, ignoring Brax's gaze resting on her.

"You know your mum wouldn't want you drinking." He said; his gaze fixated on the view ahead of him.

"Well my mum's not here." She deadpanned back, glancing quickly at him out of the corner of her eye. She pretended she didn't notice as Brax as he drew in a sharp breath and let his head hang between is elbows for a few seconds before wiping his face along his shirt sleeve quickly and then regaining his firm gaze out to sea.

"Doesn't make it right." He muttered to her.

"Since when is anything in this world right anymore." She mumbled, nodding her head sadly as she thought about the low morals people had nowadays, the boundaries between right and wrong blurring and fusing into one. She smiled briefly as she saw a man trying to help his girl friend on to a surf board, obviously trying to teach her to surf. "Look how much fun they're having." She said contently, her voice ending in a sigh as she watched them, carefree and full of life.

"I wanted to teach your mum how to surf." Brax chuckled, his eyes lighting up for a brief second as he looked at Ruby. She watched as he his smile reached his eyes for a brief second as the woman slipped on the board, only to look away when the man caught her in his arms, the pair of them all too engrossed by each others company.

"Mum on a surf board…now that I would pay to see." Ruby chuckled, swinging backwards and forwards gently on her heals as he arms held onto the railings of the tiny balcony. She stopped smiling as Brax turned and picked up the bottle of bourbon from the table and this time instead of pouring it into a glass he just sculled it down from the bottle, squeezing his eyes shut as he swallowed it.

"Brax I'm sick of this." Ruby said suddenly, turning to face him with her eyes in a strong stare. She sighed as he gave no response. "She wouldn't want you-"

"Like you said, she isn't here," Brax said, throwing her words back in his face. He stopped and looked at her before swallowing back his tears and shaking his head. His hands sweeping imaginary fluff from the table as his gaze averted away from hers. "It's just been a bad day." H mumbled quietly, dropping his head slightly as Ruby walked up to him and wrapped one arm around his shoulder and rested her head on his other shoulder.

"You're wearing Charlie's bracelet aye?" Brax said, pointing to the Pandora bracelet on Ruby's wrist, she smiled lightly through glistening eyes and nodded gently.

"It was her favourite." She whispered, wiping a loose tear that had long fallen down her cheek. And then twisting the bracelet round in circles on her wrist, her thumb running over each individual unique charm, clinging onto them with each memory flooding through her mind "…Because you got it for her." She added, running an exasperated hand through her hair. She turned her head slightly to Brax as he let out a shaky breath and shook his head to himself.

"It's ok you know…you can cry…grown men cry." She said lightheartedly.

"When I grew up that was never acceptable." A voice grunted from the doorway, Brax shook his head and turned around, looking at his dad blankly, his eyes full of hatred. The right side of his body instinctively shielded Ruby slightly, like a father protecting his little girl.

"Yeah well times have changed old man." Ruby said, rolling her eyes as Danny chuckled at her. She despised him after what he had done to Casey.

"Nice to see you too Rubes." Danny grunted. "How about getting your old man a pizza Darryl? Danny asked, raising his eyebrows slightly, Brax raised his eyebrows and scoffed

"Last I heard dogs weren't allowed in Restaurants." Brax said bitterly. "Now get out."

Danny held his hands up in teasing surrender and smirked. "Hold fire." He said mockingly. He chuckled to himself and began to walk out of the restaurant, his feet scuffing the floor. He stopped as Brax's voice called after him.

"You know you could have called Bianca to ask her if it was ok that you and Heath were going up the coast." Brax said, furrowing his brows and fiddling with the ring on his finger as he looked at his dad. Danny frowned for a second before putting on his poker face and lying straight out to his eldest son.

"She's not his mother." Danny chuckled, holding his arm out and then flopping them to his sides,

"No but she's the mother of his baby and his girlfriend, I reckon she has a right to know don't you?" Brax asked, narrowing his eyes at his dad.

"We were having a good time, must've forgotten." He said simply, lying through his teeth to his eldest son with one place in mind he was heading to now, to find Heath.

* * *

Heath opened the door with an almighty sigh as the not –so - pretty face of his father standing on the other side greeted him.

"You weren't with me this weekend." Danny deadpanned, getting straight to the point as he marched into the house.

"Well observed Einstein, have a medal." Heath muttered sarcastically.

"So where were you?" Danny asked, his eyes firm as steel on Heaths.

"Where were you?" Heath asked smartly with a smirk as Danny didn't reply.

"None of your business." Danny smiled, his teeth clenched and trying to keep his calm.

"Ditto." Heath replied, patting his dad on the back.

"Really, because if I were you I wouldn't want to screw things up with Bianca." Danny started beginning to pace up and down the room.

"Don't give me that lecture. You haven't been around for the past 12 years so don't start acting as though you give a rats now." Heath said bitterly, his body remaining unmoving as his father walked towards him in full stride.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Danny yelled, his nostrils flaring at his middle sons arrogance and sudden anger towards him.

"Or what you'll hit me." Heath asked curiously with his eyebrows raised. "You'd end up back in jail quicker than you could throw that punch though." He teased, his eyes glistening with his own pride as Danny's anger faltered slightly and his eyebrows drifted up in disbelief at his sons' words. "Don't start acting like a dad to me now. Ever since you've been back you've been up and down the coast- so you're still never around are you…DAD." Heath finished, his anger at his fathers secrets and lies overcoming him, the anger at his dad's betrayal and his 'duty' to hurt Charlie simmering at the tip of his tongue.

"I had business to deal with." Danny said plainly.

"Really what kind of business?" Heath asked, shaking his head when a silence filled the room. "Yeah that's what I thought. So don't start digging up my business." Both of the men tore their gaze on each other as a light rapping sound tapped on the doorframe.

"Sorry am I interrupting?" Bianca asked, peeping her head round the doorway.

"No, no come on in." Danny's voice drooled, dripping with sarcasm.

Ignoring him, Bianca stepped in, her eyes set on Heaths, "So are you gonna tell me where you were this weekend?" she asked, her arms hugging her body defensively,

"He was up the coast with me." Danny interjected quickly, surprising Heath.

"Really? How lovely." Bianca said dryly, scoffing in disbelief. Just as she opened her mouth to reply a loud ringing sound filled the room. Heath watched as Danny hesitated slightly, staring at the phone in his hands. Heath frowned, he'd never seen that phone before, and whoever it was, they were calling from a private number.

"Excuse me, gotta take this call." Danny said hesitantly, walking out to the front porch.

"Why the hell-" Bianca started venomously, only to be hushed as Heath clamped his hand over her mouth and held her to him. Quietly he shuffled them over towards the door, near to where Danny was. He moved his hand and held his finger up to his lips; she nodded and leant up against him, both of them silent as they listened to the conversation.

"Heath what the hell is going on?" Bianca whispered against his chest, her hands picking gently at his shirt.

"If you know what's good for you keep quiet ok?" he whispered back harshly, he closed his eyes as she shot him a glare, he instantly regretted what he said, "Trust me, you'll thank me later." He whispered softly, kissing her forehead.

* * *

"No, no she isn't." Danny said exasperatingly, glancing nervously back to the house as he spoke quietly to Pirovic on the other end of the phone.

"Well why not? I told you I want her gone!" Jake spat down the line. Danny flinched slightly at the venom in the mans voice.

"Well if you'd had better aim in the first place-" he started smartly,

"You'll shut up if you know what's good for you Braxton." Jake interrupted, his voice sounded almost as though he was growling down the phone.

"What do you want me to do?" Danny asked in a hushed voice so no one could hear him, again looking back to the house.

"I want you to scare her-and scare her big time."

"Why not just get it over with?" Danny asked, creasing his brow together,

"She knows' she's not safe at the moment-play a few games, make her think she's safe and then get rid of her." Jake said slyly.

"And if there's any complications?" Danny asked hesitantly,

"You better hope there's not Braxton." Jake said threateningly, his voice slow and deliberately taunting "I want revenge, and revenge is what I'm gonna get. I know you want revenge too." He said wisely, before hanging up the phone.

* * *

"Shit!" Heath yelled, punching the wall in frustration.

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?!" Bianca shouted back desperately, following Heath as he went into his room and swiftly chucked the same clothes he'd taken on his last trip back into his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"What the?" Bianca yelled as Heath barged past her and into the living room, her hot on his heels. "Where do you think you're going?" She spat, grabbing onto his shoulder and turning him around.

Heath sighed and placed both of his hands on her shoulders before kissing her softly, "Look right now, I've gotta love you and leave you ok?" He said softly, sighing as she nodded anxiously and held her hands over his on her cheeks. She nodded, signaling he had her permission to go, and without another word he left the house, not without crashing into Brax first.

"Woah easy!" Brax yelled, backing against the doorframe as an unfazed Heath ran past him.

"What's going on?" Brax asked, throwing his thumb back over his shoulder as he looked at Bianca.

"He's just taken off again." She said, swallowing the lump in her throat that had arisen and letting out a shaky breath. For the first time, she felt alone.

"Did you two have a blue or something?" Brax asked, walking up to her slowly.

"No, no he just went." She said plainly, frowning as Brax sighed and rattled his keys, walking back towards the door.

"Brax where are you going?" Bianca called as she hurriedly tried to follow him.

"Going to follow Heath. If I go now, I'll still be able to catch up with him." Brax called back before pulling out of the driveway swiftly.

* * *

Heath waited anxiously outside Charlie's apartment, begging for someone to answer and hoping it would be her.

"You're ok!" He breathed a sigh of relief as Charlie's slightly shocked face greeted him on the other side.

"Of course I am." Charlie chuckled as Heath's arms encased her in a hug. "What are you doing here?" she frowned as she pulled away and noticed Heath's eyes darting around the apartment nervously.

"Have you been here all day?" He asked anxiously, although slightly comforted by the fact that Danny couldn't have gotten here anymore than 10 minutes before he did.

"Heath?" Charlie asked anxiously as he poked his head into all of the rooms before joining her back in the living room,

Both jumped slightly as the phone in the bedroom started ringing, "You should get that, this can wait." Heath reassured her, she nodded uncertainly and backed away from him, walking towards her room. Heath frowned as a loud banging sound rapped against the door suddenly, the constant booming failing to subside. Surely if Danny wanted to get to Charlie the best way to approach would be discreetly. Slowly he edged towards the door, opening it and letting it swing on his hinges he jumped back, expecting if it was Danny he would hang back out of fear, instead he got an angry Brax storming through suddenly."

"What the hell?!" Heath yelled, anxiety suddenly consuming him as Brax pinned him up against the wall, his eyes wild and his nostrils flared.

"You said you weren't with another woman!" Brax spat, raising his arm to throw a punch. He stopped as his brother looked at him and shook his head, his eyes wide in shock but honest and sincere.

"Don't do it Brax, just stop." Heath said softly, he knew Brax's main source of anger was unearthing from the thought of Heath having the perfect family life with Bianca that Brax longed for with Charlie and betraying her by sleeping with someone else. It was only then Brax noticed the soft echo of someone else's footsteps from the bedroom.

"Heath!" The voice called, panicked. Brax pulled back instantly, his heart hurled up into his mouth. He recognized that voice in an instant. "There was no one on the other line-" Charlie began as she entered the room, her eyes frowning at the phone before she looked up and all of the words entering her mind fizzled out lamely at the figure, the presence in the room.

Everything went silent. The only sound in the room was that of the phone in Charlie's hands falling to the stone floor.

He found himself at a loss for words as she stood in front of him. She had now stopped walking completely, both of them standing barely metres apart.

He didn't trust himself to walk any closer. In fear of his legs giving way, in fear of his body trembling with emotion and in fear of her disappearing. The bare sight of her was enough to make him want more.

Whatever sight he was expecting to see, this was the last thing he'd expected.

Her eyes rested on his and instantly burned through him with a searing heat Brax hadn't felt since the morning she left his house 6 months ago. The passion that existed in the distance between them was enough to knock them both for 6.

Finally Brax found the strength to muster up his almost silent voice.

"Charlie."

* * *

**Dun dun dun!**

**I wonder how Brax and Charlie will react?**

**Sorry to be such a tease and leave it there!**

**Please review x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you so much for all of your reviews!**

**Glad you all love this story just as much as I am writing it!**

**I decided to be nice and finish up this chapter for you this week x**

* * *

**Chapter 7- This feels right.**

"Yeah," She said softly, he had only just said her name and she'd already felt hot tears trickle down her cheeks from her eyes. It was a longing that burned in them both, just to hear each other's names spill from their lips.

"Brax." Charlie said croakily, watching him, a part of her became scared, what if he was angry with her-furious she had been able to find the strength to stay away. "Please say something." Charlie whispered a few minutes later when he still stood rooted to the spot. She felt her heart clench as he pinched the bridge of his nose and a lone tear tumble down his cheek. Her body ached to run up to him, but she knew Brax, she knew he needed to make the first move.

"I'm too scared to touch you. I'll take one more step and you'll be gone." He said in a mere whisper, his eyes dancing back up to meet hers, she nodded and swallowed the lump that failed to subside in her throat.

"You don't need to be," she whispered, her heart breaking as he leant both arms on the kitchen counter and hunched back, his head tilted down.

"I found you on the floor dead Charlie. Dead! You were dead!" She could see from where he was standing the harsh tears settling on the granite worktop, creating ripples on the surface as they landed. "Why didn't you come back?" he asked, looking at her for some desperate answer.

"You know me, if I could've I would of." Charlie said, her voice soft, almost inaudible to him. She took a step towards him, only for him to take one step back, keeping the distance between them.

"After this I'm not sure if I know you at all." Brax said suddenly, his hands clasped tightly behind his head, Charlie jumped at the tone of his harsh voice. He desperately found his heart longing to go to her but he'd built up a wall the instant she'd walked into that room. The sight of her was enough to take his breath away but it also brought his pain tumbling to the surface, seeping through gaps and willing to get out.

"You don't mean that." Charlie choked up as he stared at her, a blank expression on his face, almost as though he didn't recognize her. She looked at him with pleading eyes as she spoke, him still being unmoved from the spot "I tried Brax, I tried." She pleaded, taking another step towards him, yet like it was a reflex he stepped back, keeping a set distance between them, creating a line that couldn't be crossed.

"Well you should've tried harder!" Brax yelled, a lone tear streaming down his cheeks, they were both at this point oblivious to a wary Heath in the corner of the room. "I begged them to keep on your life support, I fought for us!"

"Yeah, you fought so hard that you got another girlfriend!" Charlie replied with a spitting fire that Brax hadn't seen from anyone in a long time. No one could speak to Brax like that and still have a hold over him like Charlie did. There was no one he loved enough to let them do that.

"Morag." Brax breathed out in realisation of how she knew. Morag had visited Ruby a few weeks ago, that's how she knew. "That's not fair Charlie." Brax said as an eerie silence filled the room.

"No your right its not. Life's not fair." She spat sadly

"I loved you..." he said, leaving out the fact that he still did.

"Yeah does she know that?" Charlie asked,

"Yeah she does." Brax said adamantly, "We're not together anymore." He said, his voice softening as he met her pearl blue eyes, "Look Charlie, I needed someone to stop me thinking about you. I needed any comfort I could get and she was there."

"And you took it." Charlie said, her voice wasn't bitter, it wasn't angry. She understood him. There were people out there who when they suffer loss neglect any comfort they can get, and there are those who take it all because it's a need, it's the only source of familiarity. She understood his pain, the risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared to the pain of never risking love, and she knew two things about Brax, he couldn't bare being alone, no matter how much he tried to deny that, and he needed someone more than he could care to admit.

"You think I was happy without you?" Brax asked, this time, he took a step towards her rather than away, "You know what I don't need to explain myself to you, YOU were the one that left me on my own." He spoke as though the realisation had just hit him like a tonne of bricks. He wanted to let her closer to him, he wanted wear his heart on his sleeve again, but the enormity of what had happened hurt him, of all people, she'd hurt him the most.

"Brax just please let me explain-"

"Explain what?" He yelled, turning to face her square on. "How much you loved me? How sorry you are? Well tell me Charlie why the hell are you not at home with me? With Ruby?" Charlie felt the little air she had left escape her lungs in a hurry as her tears fell swiftly down her cheeks like a fast flowing river. The look on his face was one she'd dreaded receiving, the same look that she feared would arise and the same look that made the fear of fleeing witness protection reside within her, and there it was draining the colour from her cheeks, sucking the blood from her veins.

"I had no choice!" She yelled in reply, her pain matching his.

"Everybody has a choice! You have a choice Charlie!"

"Can you just let me explain!" She pleaded with him, sighing as he again took one step back when she made a move forward

"I don't care what you have to say to me Charlie."

"I do. I still care Brax." Charlie begged hoping he would let her tell him she still loved him, she still loved what they had.

"Well as lovely as that is Charlie how you felt and what you wanted stopped being a _burden_ on my shoulders 10 minutes ago." He said angrily, his eyes burning onto hers. He watched as she stood in silence, her body taking its time to respond to the magnitude of his words. His heart was begging him to take it back, yet his mind was begging for him to watch her response.

"No it didn't." Charlie said back suddenly, her confident response taking him aback slightly.

"Really and how are you so sure about that?" he asked, it was only then as his eyes glanced past hers and settled on her phone vibrating on the kitchen side, the background picture of her and Brax, Charlie watched as his face changed slightly and he inhaled sharply to stop the tears falling that made the rims of his eyes red raw

"Because if you didn't care you wouldn't be crying."

"No Charlie I'm crying because I can't believe that you of all people could make me feel so much pain." He said, finally letting his tears spill from his eyes. It took all his energy to turn his back to her as he again increased the space between them. He winced and closed his eyes briefly as he heard her try to silence a cry, but he refused his hearts longing to turn back. He held his hand on the door handle, Walking away from her took more strength than he ever thought he had, it took more strength than the past 6 months had needed, simply because he was still hers and she was still his. Being apart didn't suit them.

Slamming her door behind him, he stormed out of the tiny apartment block, darting across the road towards the water, opposite her apartment, so he was still close to her but far away enough to be content, towards the water where he felt at home, it was the only place that felt like home to Brax than being close to her. He immediately froze as he allowed the events of what had occurred to replay over and over again in the forefront of his mind. He could still hear her cries echoing through the path of his mind each time he replayed walking away from her. He thought back to her willing him to let her explain but he couldn't help but stop her each time in frightening fear of what she could say, in fear of her telling him she left because it was easy to fall out of love with him, that it was easier for her to ignore the love they had rather than follow through with it and see where it could get them. He felt his body shake in anger and distress, his bones aching for some sort of relief for the long term pain, hitting a tree seemed to be the logical thing to do, and that he did, repetitively, ignoring the stares from people and ignoring the blood falling from his knuckles, nothing seemed to hurt as much as she did. Brax regained his composure as he slumped down against the oak tree burying his head in his hands before sweeping the imaginary dirt off of his jeans. He had left her apartment to find some sort of clarity and calm but instead he sat at the stump of a flourishing oak more confused than ever. She left him yes, but his words had hurt her, she left him but yet she kept a photo near her just to feel a mere smidge of the comfort he'd once brought her. Brax found no sense in the events that had occurred since he had laid eyes On Charlie the day he found her on the floor bleeding, bleeding out the love they had. He couldn't decipher whether her tears were simply because of the guilt she felt for leaving him, or whether they were tears of leaving everyone else; he couldn't decide if they were because being away from him had brought her has much pain as he felt.

He stopped his thought process as a comforting hand rested on his shoulder, looking up he saw Heath of all people, and his younger brother, who at the best of times, only managed to get him more riled up when he was trying to be comforting, was the thing that brought Brax the calm he was looking for, the familiarity his mind was aching for, because right now, Heath was the only person he could truly recognize completely.

"Is she ok?" Asked Brax, he may have been angry with Charlie but it didn't mean he liked the thought of her on her own in her apartment, crying.

"I don't know mate, honestly it was pointless trying to admit to her you didn't mean any of those things you said back there." Heath said, beginning to pick at the grass that lay at the foot of the tree. "Of all things you could say-"

"I didn't exactly expect that little surprise when I came to find you did I?" Brax asked, glaring at Heath briefly before leaning his head back against the tree and sighing heavily.

"I know that- I just thought you would've been a bit happier." Heath said, chuckling slightly as he thought of his brothers' own stupidity. He'd finally got his woman back and now he'd screwed it up.

"YOU'RE KIDDING ME RIGHT? You think I had a whole plan in my head for how to react if this ever happened." Brax said, trying but failing to keep his anger in check as he found himself consumed with a mixture of emotions.

"No but I thought you of all people would think before you speak." Heath said, still keeping his eye on the entrance to Charlie's apartment block, making sure Danny didn't happen to pass by.

"Shit!" Brax said suddenly, burying his head in his hands "She's alive and I just stood and said that!" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and cringing at his own actions.

"Look, I know even though you never want to admit it, her 'death' has torn you apart…And that's cool you know I don't think you're any less of a man for it." Heath said, trying to lighten the situation for a brief moment "But it hurt everyone Brax, heck even I was gutted when she passed. But you didn't even let her try to explain?" He asked, continuing as Brax looked up blankly to the apartment window. "After everything you guys have been through don't you think she deserves the chance?" Heath continued,

"If you keep pushing her away she won't fight no more either." He finished,

"And don't do anything stupid." He added last. He let Brax talk to him for a further ten minutes, and explaining things to Brax that he didn't know before, such as the danger Charlie was still in (But leaving out that Danny was the hitman) As he left he slapped Brax on the back gently and quickly retreated back to the apartment block

* * *

Charlie felt herself sink further into the couch, her legs curling underneath her and her arms closing around the closest thing to comfort near her. A pillow.

She sat staring at the water on the horizon, the calmness of the ocean as it spread out over miles, just rippling across the surface. She relished the sun hitting her face as it set over the water, the light almost being a safe haven, yet tonight it acted as torture, as though the light shined on all the things going wrong in her life. Like it highlighted all her imperfections. After sitting for a few minutes she let out an angry sob that shook through her body. She had a hole in her heart the shape of Brax and she was willing to cram anything into it that would bring her comfort. She longed for the ocean to bring her peace, to let her eyes get lost in the dancing tiny ripples of its surface for even just a minute, instead she found herself being met by the absence of calmness, the absence of relief, the absence of comfort.

Wiping at her tears Charlie sighed as she picked the faux fur off of the white cushion in her hands. She felt stupid and naïve for thinking seeing him again would be roses and smiles all round for everyone. She stopped and whipped her head round at the door closing softly with a click. Brax found his body stilled again as he saw a lone tear make a track down her cheek. It sent him into a state of paralysis. She wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand, hoping he hadn't noticed at all.

Too late.

Brax found himself contrasting the stark difference between her cracked composure now and her old self, the happy Charlie he saw at Angelo's singles night. The Charlie he used to know seemed to have disappeared underneath a seemingly strong surface. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with guilt at the thought of doing that to her. He'd talked with Heath for nearly half an hour, neither of the two really saying anything. Heath had left Brax alone for a while, yet despite a walk usually being a way to calm himself down, Brax found himself still consumed by an emotion that overwhelmed him. It was just like she used to, she would constantly worm her way into his heart and often it felt as though he was drowning in the love that overcame him, in the love that still existed, even if so far in today, it had been in its brutal bare manor. She'd shown him what it could be like to be in love with a family. She'd given him happiness, it was hard in his eyes to have her give him the most important thing, yet have the audacity to take it away from him. That didn't stop him being overwhelmed with sadness at the sight of her slightly damp cheeks, her eyes that glistened in the light, not with happiness, but with sadness, not with hope, but with fear. Fear of what his return would bring.

"I'm sorry." Brax said softly, twisting the ring around on his finger, he watched as Charlie's eyes settled on his hand where the ring was, her lips curling into a small smile.

"You don't need to be sorry." Charlie whispered back, sighing shakily and still fiddling with the cushion in her hands. She refused to look up as Brax's footsteps neared the couch and he edged nearer to her.

"Is it true?" he asked as he sat down.

"Is what true?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Jake has a hit out on you?" he asked, he immediately nodded his head at her silence it spoke volumes to him. "Charlie-You could have stayed. I-we could have gotten through this." He said softly, edging closer to her in his seat.

"You just don't get it do you?" she whispered as she tilted her head up towards him. "Brax I woke up and you were gone-you and Rubes were gone."

"This is all my fault." Brax said finally, after a moment of silence.

"Brax no it isn't-"

"Nah, nup it is! It is! Because if I'd just left you alone none of this would have happened." He said angrily, through clenched jaws,

"Brax listen to me." He could hear Charlie talking to him but his emotions were on overdrive and his head didn't want to listen. "None of this is your fault." She said firmly, her eyes looking at him softly,

"Somehow I don't agree there…because there's a little girl in summer bay who has no mum, because of me, and I can't think of anyone else I've found dead on the floor except for you." He said, his words stinging her slightly.

"You couldn't have known this would happen." Charlie said, defending his own words against himself.

"No but I could've stopped it, I could have stayed away from you!"

"I wouldn't have wanted you to!" Charlie said back, watching as Brax looked at her confused, "Because if you had I never would've fallen in love." She said shakily, tears tumbling down her just dry cheeks; they only worsened as she felt Brax's arms around her tightly, his arms wrapping over her shoulders, she felt his grip tighten as her arms gripped onto his back firmly, her head nuzzled into the crook of his neck and her bump pressed between them. She took the time to take in the way he smelt, the lingering scent of sea salt mixed with cologne on his neck, the way he felt, the way being in his arms made her feel, no one had ever made her feel so safe. He felt his emotions overpower him, just at the way her body pressed against his, their little bump pressed against his body, she could've been just gone for a day out rather than 6 months with the familiarity her body brought to him. The pain of losing her rose in his chest mixed with the joy he allowed himself to feel at having her back and combined with the guilt of letting her go in the first place, of not knowing she was out there. There was one thought Brax was sure of though, he'd never been able to get her out of his heart since the day he met her, so maybe, just maybe, she belonged there.

* * *

Charlie sighed as she pulled out the spare duvet from the cupboard. Usually she'd have Morag or someone to help her do it. She lifted her head up as Heath appeared in the doorway, with one eyebrow cocked up and looking at her questionably.

"What's up Buckton?" Heath asked, leaning against the doorframe and watching her as she sunk into the bed. The spare duvet, blankets and pillows all in a heap at the foot of the door.

"I'm fine." Charlie said harshly, before bending back down and trying to gather up the mess on the floor. Heath sucked in a breath as she stopped for a moment and took a deep breath almost as if she were counting to ten to prepare herself to start again.

"Here, let me take it-" Heath said, instantly stopping as she shot him a look that told him otherwise.

"Heath I'm fine!" Charlie snapped, her voice tired rather than angered by his gesture. She ran her hand through her hair and looked at him as he held his hands up in surrender, "I'm sorry I just-"

"It's ok." Heath intervened, walking up to her and rubbing the tops of her arms gently. "You know Buckton, I can lift those for you." His mouth toyed into a light-hearted smirk as she rolled her eyes and hit his chest jokingly before her smile faded again and the bare glimpse of the old cheeky Charlie disappeared.

"I used to be able to do everything!" She sighed, dropping her head. A few loose curls hung down over her face as she spoke in frustration. Things would have been easier for her had she not had simple problems to deal with as well. Its one thing having your family taken away from you but it's another having your everyday life constantly disrupted as well. Heath didn't say anything, he just nodded, just to let her know he understood, and despite her previous protests he began to pick up the sheets off of the floor, only to notice a confused Brax in the doorway, having come out of the bathroom and overheard them.

"Am I missing something here or?" Brax trailed off, his eyebrows knitted closely together in confusion

"No, nup it's nothing." Charlie shrugged, muttering under her breath as Heath cleared his throat.

"Charlie." He said, nodding between them, and looking at her knowingly, his way of telling her to tell Brax the truth.

"Charlie?" Brax asked as she stayed silent, Heath nodded and left them inside her room, closing the door behind him as he went. Brax watched nervously as she walked to the other side, keeping her distance between them, as if their closeness scared her senseless. She wanted to take advantage of the situation then and jump him, but walking to the other side of the room put a barrier between them.

"After I…died-" She started shakily, watching as Brax's jaw clenched as she used that word. She nodded anxiously at him as he raised his head back up and smiled weakly, letting her know she could go on.

"There were complications Brax." She started, watching as his head snapped up at her in fear of what she would tell him. He listened as she told him about the seizures, her weaknesses, her lack of coordination, although he cheekily added that there was no change in that area. He felt his heart drop slightly to his stomach as she told him about her restricted memory, how she couldn't remember each day they spent together, the key events were blurred. "Brax? She asked as she finished, watching him with worry. He'd kept his head in his hands the whole time as she spoke, his foot restlessly tapping on the floor as he sat uneasily on the edge of the bed.

"I'm alright, aye? I'm fine." Brax said wearily, finally glancing his eyes up to hers. "And our kid got through all that?" Brax chuckled, his eyes finally settling on her bump. He'd noticed, Charlie knew he had the moment he'd seen her, but he'd refused to pay attention and speak about their baby, she knew not to push him either, that he'd bring it up in his own time. "Little champ aye? We've got a tough one on our hands." Brax chuckled, his smile widened as Charlie grinned, her smile reaching her eyes for the first time in a long time.

"Just like his daddy." She added, smiling once more at him,

"So you do remember me?" Brax asked, suddenly, his tone almost worried.

"Yes. I remember you." Charlie chuckled, shaking her head lightly as he blew out a sigh of relief.

"I must be pretty unforgettable then aye?" he added cheekily, grinning as she blushed. "You used to do that a lot." He chuckled, pointing at her rosy cheeks, for a moment they stood consumed by each other, until Charlie broke their contact at the reminder in her head that he'd been with someone else. Almost as though he recognised her train of thought he spoke up, "I didn't forget about you either-"

"You two nearly done?" Heath interrupted, holding his hands up apologetically at his brothers' stare burning on him. "Sorry to break up the party but I was hoping for some food and a kip its half ten."

* * *

Brax found himself getting more and more nervous that evening as he tried to sleep. It was the first time he'd been near her in 6 months and here he was on her sofa and she was a mere room away in her bed.

Despite her protests, he'd refused to take her bed and her the couch. He'd seriously wondered if he was doing the right thing by staying the night, but being close to her seemed better than not having her at all. He found himself tossing and turning on the sofa, he wasn't uncomfortable his mind was just restless. It didn't help matters by the fact that Heath was snoring his little butt off on the other sofa.

He sighed, after what seemed like hours but in reality had been 35 minutes and 26 seconds, he climbed off of the couch slowly and quietly made his way into the kitchen, dimly lit by the various technological symbols glowing on the fridge, he opened it and grinned as he did so, the fridge was sparse, but the remainders consisted of pizza's and ready made Lasagne, she still couldn't cook. Pouring himself a glass of water he tilted his head slightly as he recognised her presence in the room.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Charlie asked, patting her hands against her thighs as Brax shook his head. She walked towards the kitchen, standing on the opposite side of the units to Brax. He tried not to bite his lip as he took her in, apart from her bump, you wouldn't have been able to say she'd gotten any bigger in pregnancy, she was still the same lean, slim Charlie.

He went to turn around but stopped as he noticed the sleep attire she was in. He noticed the tantalizing checked shirt she was wearing. He had wondered where it'd gone, but realized to himself that it must have been with the remainder of Charlie's belongings that Ruby had; and now he had his answer. The same shirt she used to wear after their secret rendezvous was comfortably draped over her comfortably, but it bore a painful reminder of their past and glared at him in the face. Although the anger he suddenly felt polled above all his other emotions, he felt a feeling of relief wash over him. She hadn't forgotten what he was, or what they once were; if she had she wouldn't have kept the shirt.

"I recognize that." Brax chuckled looking at her in that tantalizing checked shirt she was wearing. A smile bore on his face as she blushed slightly before wrapping her arms around it; part of her worried he would want it back.

"It's comfy- the only thing that fits me anymore." She replied, her hand stroking lightly over her little bump and smiling.

"It always looked better on you anyway." Brax commented, smirking cheekily as Charlie blushed slightly at his comment.

An awkward silence followed as their eyes danced over one and others.

"You want a Coffee?" Charlie said suddenly a few seconds later

"Yeah sure," Brax replied, sucking in a breath as she walked around the kitchen, the shirt all of a sudden getting tauntingly short. He watched and frowned as she stopped suddenly once the kettle finished boiling.

"Except I um...I can't lift the kettle…" She said quietly, as though she were ashamed of herself and who she was. Brax moved closer to her as her eyes washed over with tears and her breath shook slightly before she composed herself again.

"I don't want you lifting it again anyway, you're supposed to rest for the baby," he said smartly, his body, sideways on to hers. He resisted the urge to wipe away her tears as he poured the hot water into the two cups. A tea for her, and a coffee for him.

"That's stereotypical," she sniffed, smiling lightly at him,

"It hasn't been proven wrong though has it?" he teased back nudging her slightly, grinning when she rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Trying to lift the kettle gives me some feeling of achievement…I'm not completely stupid." She said, feeling the need to suddenly explain herself to him. Her eyes glanced downwards again as she spoke.

"You're not stupid at all Charlie." Brax said quickly.

"You're the guest and I can't even offer you a drink." She replied in a downcast voice, shaking her head to herself.

"Who say's I'm leaving at any point?" Brax asked, raising his eyebrows as she looked at him confused. "You said I was a guest." He explained.

Charlie smiled and nodded, biting her lip briefly to restrict the rose blush on her cheeks.

She watched as he made her cup of tea. He pressed the tea back 3 times, added a sugar and a half and 2 seconds worth of milk.

"You remember?" she said slowly, referring to how he made her tea, glancing up at him briefly

"Of course I do."

"I'm so sorry Brax., this must be so hard for you."

"The past 6 months have been harder." He said honestly, silently cursing to himself as her eyes overcame with guilt and sadness. "Plus I'd rather stay here than in a hotel down the road. I reckon I'd be at the door every 5 minutes checking that you're still here." He smiled lightly,

"None of this feels right." She said softly as Brax passed her the cup of tea. He knew she was referring to their situation, the fact they were centimetres away yet poles apart, and that they were lovers but acted like strangers at the same time.

The space between them seemed unnatural. They both noticed it, like an elephant in the room.

Charlie tried to restrict the tears that suddenly wanted to free fall at his admission. She desperately wanted to ask him to stay with her in her room but restrained herself,

"I'll see you in the morning yeah?" She said suddenly, Brax looked at her, stunned by her sudden change. It was only as she walked away with her tea in one hand he noticed her other hand wiping under her eyes and realised she was crying.

He winced as he heard a muffled sob from her room trying to be silenced.

Screw this!

He silently walked quickly over to her doorway, opening it slightly before slipping in and closing it softly. He stood for a mere second, his heart breaking as she faced away on the bed, her face half buried in the pillow. He walked over to her before lifting the covers and slipping in behind her and pressing his body up against hers. She flinched slightly as she felt someone's presence behind her, relaxing instantly as she realised who it was.

"Just me." Brax whispered in her ear, he reached one hand under her pillow and his right weaved round her waist and rested on her warm bump softly his thumb softly caressing her skin in circular motion.

"**_This_** feels right." Brax whispered, gently kissing her shoulder blade softly. "If you want me to move just say." He said, waiting for some sort of verbal reply. Instead he found himself smiling as Charlie brought her hand down over his on her bump, squeezing his softly and wriggled back into him more, her breathing relaxing more in his arms.

They both managed to quickly fall asleep.

* * *

**Aww, I had to end on a happy Chax note…but not everything will be lovey dovey… little teaser for you there ;)**

**I do really want to convey the confusion and mixture of emotions though and make it as realistic as possible so I hope that comes across well :)**

**The next update will be in a week and a half along with lost then found which I have just updated too :D**

**Please Review your thoughts! x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again!**

**I am so flattered with the feedback for this story so thank you all so much! Please keep reviewing!**

**For those of you who are interested, my other story has also just been updated now**

**Enjoy this dramatic chapter! x**

* * *

**Chapter 8: No news is good news.**

"Morning Stud!" Heath piped up the next morning, clapping his hands as Brax walked out of Charlie's room and put his shirt that he'd left on the sofa back on.

"Don't." he said harshly as he buttoned the shirt up. Heath frowned as Brax dropped down to the floor and began rummaging through his bags before pulling out a bottle of bourbon.

"Brax?" Heath asked, sitting up on the sofa and looking at his brother warily

"You said don't do anything stupid." Brax said, chugging the first few gulps down his throat before dropping his bottle and hand to his waist and looking directly at Heath "and I did something stupid." He finished and walked towards the door of the apartment, slamming it with unnecessary force.

He was scared to let himself get close to Charlie in fear of losing her again.

Little did he realise he had already let himself get too close.

* * *

Charlie frowned as she opened her eyes the next morning, instantly missing a presence in the room. The whole apartment felt empty and cold again. She rolled over to have her thoughts confirmed. The spot next to her was stone cold. She sighed and rolled over onto her back, the covers of the bed riding low at her waist from the quick retreat from Brax that morning. She knew he'd taken one step too soon last night, the events that had unfolded in the past 24 hours were enough to confuse anyone, looking for comfort is the thing people naturally look for and Charlie was Brax's only source of it last night.

"Hey where's Brax?" Charlie asked as she walked into the kitchen to see Heath slaving over a hot grill, still dressed in Brax's shirt. Heath chuckled as he noticed what she was wearing.

"He went out for a bit." Heath replied, pretending not to notice as her face fell slightly.

"Oh right." She replied, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"He'll come back soon, but whilst he doesn't want to be found, he won't be found." Heath reassured her, her shrugging shoulders and downcast look not going unnoticed by him. "Spill." He said, nudging her as he slid a bacon butty over the kitchen bench. "What happened last night?" He continued as Charlie looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know," she said drowsily, yawning slightly.

"Did you…you know…" he insinuated, wriggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"Heath!" she squealed as her cheeks burned crimson.

"What you did?" he chuckled, his eyes widening slightly, more in shock that he hadn't been woken up by any noise. She and Brax used to wake the whole of summer bay up he was sure.

"No!" Charlie yelled, throwing a tea towel at him and laughing, "No, we both couldn't sleep so slept together instead." She explained, rolling her eyes as Heath cocked an eyebrow "Literally slept Heath." She said as her laughter subsided.

An awkward silence overcame them both as Charlie picked at her bacon sandwich. Heath knew she was missing a certain presence.

"He'll be back." Heath said certainly,

"Yeah I know." Charlie sighed with confidence "That's part of the problem." She said, getting up and wondering over to the window of her apartment. It was on the top floor, but then again there was only a ground floor and a 1st floor to the apartment block, so it didn't disrupt the views of the harbour from the buildings behind.

"Nah- See that's where you're going wrong." Heath quipped "Brax see's you as the one that got away and you see him as the one that got lucky." Heath said, Charlie chuckled and shrugged off his comment. Looking into the truth of it was something her heart couldn't bare right now.

But she couldn't help but wonder if brax really saw her as the one that got away…

"You both need to wake up and see that life's too short."

"Don't I know it." Charlie agreed, turning back to face him, her body still close to the floor length windows.

"There's the spirit aye Buckton?" Heath said positively as he went to the fridge, only for his head to whip back around again at the sound of glass splitting and crashing over the floor, and Charlie's ear splitting scream. His eyes went wide as he ran over to Charlie who lay motionless on the floor.

"Shit!" He sat with his hands shaking on his legs, his eyes dancing between Charlie and the brick that lay next to her on the floor, both in a pool of glass. Shakily dialling 911 he glanced down at Charlie, his hands trembling on his phone as he saw the blood drip out from under her head.

"Buckton? Buckton?" he yelled, desperately "Buckton don't do this!" he shouted, desperately trying to bring her back round.

* * *

Heath watched Sid wheel her down the corridor.

Sid Walker, of all people had deceived them all.

Sid knew.

It was just one shock after another. He sighed as she was wheeled out of sight. And no sooner did his back crash back against one of the plastic chairs than his brother came rushing behind him finally. After 10 calls and 12 messages Brax had finally answered.

"Heath where is she!" Brax yelled jogging up to him and looking over Heath's shoulder, edging to go further down the forbidden corridor. Heath swallowed a lump in his throat at the look on Brax's face

"Mate calm down!" He yelled as Brax struggled to get past him, "Listen to me, listen to me." He said, placing both hands on Brax's shoulders, "She's in surgery, they're relieving the pressure on her brain."

"You won't lose her again ok?" Heath said, trying to reassure Brax as much as he was himself. He let go of his brothers shoulders as Brax sunk to the ground as his knees buckled under his weight. His body slid down the wall with ease from all the practise he'd had over the years. Every breath he'd had seemed to be knocked out from his lungs as if he were a punch bag. His heart seemed constricted and pulled in all directions at the same time, and his tears seeped out of him like water from a sponge. Heath couldn't do anything but watch silently as his brothers cries echoed silently down the corridors in an endless stream of pain.

An hour past that led to two, that led to three. Each time that set of double doors swung open the boys found themselves coming to a stand in the corridor, only for a doctor with a remorseful face to walk past them silently. Both of them were restless, the sound that echoed throughout the corridor was that of Brax's foot tapping, the sound of Heath's sighs of frustration and the irritation clock in the corner, reminding them constantly of how long they had been waiting. Each second they waited Brax felt his chest tightening further as the worst thoughts ran through his head. Time seemed to move painfully slowly, almost like it had stopped to let the lingering pain in Brax's chest go on for a little longer. The boys could no longer remember the time they arrived, and if asked they couldn't remember how they managed to get here.

Heath shot a few glances over at Brax and found himself wrecked by his brothers' composure; he felt a sudden guilt. He hadn't been there before when Charlie was shot, and now he was there for him, he had no idea what to do; no color remained in his brothers' face, no familiarity resided there. Brax's gaze was firmly on him but he was looking right through him, towards the off white wall that resembled the same slightly greyed complexion of Brax's face.

He had tried to keep Brax positive for the first half an hour but now found himself consumed with his own worry; his worry was that this wasn't the last that was to come. This wasn't the worst Brax could suffer. This wasn't the worse thing that could hit Charlie. He found his mind overpowered by the photograph in his mind of her on the floor, she lay so still you could have framed the moment. He couldn't shake the image of the blood seeping from her head. Heath, again found himself worried for one Charlie Buckton.

It reminds us that sometimes we find ourselves in situations we never expect to be in.

Situations we try to avoid but cannot prevent.

Heath watched as Brax lost his patience and began pacing restlessly.

"Brax-" He went to speak but was interrupted by his brothers voice.

"She should be out of there by now." Brax said, Heath didn't say anything he just nodded understandingly, knowing that Brax was probably right. "We should have heard something by now." Brax said adamantly.

"No news is good news?" Heath suggested hopefully.

"We had no news last time and were then told she was-" Brax stopped his sentence finding he couldn't go on with that thought. Heath looked up at his brother as he crumbled again, taking his frustration out on the wall behind him. His fist and head refusing to register the pain in his knuckles at the contact with the wall.

Heath cocked an eyebrow suddenly as Brax stopped instantly. "What?" Heath asked as Brax looked at him.

"I need to ring Ruby." Brax declared, pulling his phone out. Brax looked up as someone cleared their throat and tapped at the phone,

"That isn't your decision to make-"

Brax's eyes burned with anger as he looked up at the man before him. "Not my decision to make?" he yelled, shoving inspector Joyce in the chest as he pushed him back. "Whatever authority you had went out the window the second she got hurt." He yelled, angered by Joyce's calm composure.

"Brax, Charlie's needs come first." Joyce said in an ease that riled Brax up.

"No don't you dare tell me that!" Brax yelled, about to lurch forward until a voice pulled them both from their heated argument.

"Let him ring Ruby." Sid said from behind them, standing in his overalls.

"Sid?" Brax questioned, even though it was more of a disbelief stricken statement than a question.

"How is she?" Heath asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"She's fine, we relieved the pressure on her brain, Charlie and the baby are doing well," he said confidently, a small smile breaking out as he saw the relief in both boys' expressions.

* * *

There is nothing worse than a hospital.

Nothing worse than a hospital with someone you love inside it.

Life can change so easily. One-day things can be fine and the next your life is ripping at the seams. Or it can be the opposite, you can feel lost and the next you're found, seeing, hearing, touching one thing can make everything change.

For Ruby, it was that one sentence from Brax that made her begin to feel something inside again.

"Rubes?" Brax questioned as she picked up the phone.

"Hey Brax." She said chirpily,

"Where are you?" He asked,

"I'm in the city just heading back from a Uni interview." She said with happiness in her voice that Brax hadn't heard for a while. He beamed with pride briefly in the hospital as he heard her say 'Uni' She was finally getting her life back…and now he had to be the one to flip it on its head.

"I need you to come down to the hospital." He said, his voice trembling slightly.

"What now?" Ruby asked a worried strain in her voice being recognised by Brax.

"Yeah um, the city hospital." He said shakily.

"Brax you're keeping me in suspense here!" She chuckled,

"Ruby, Charlie's alive."

She'd managed to stay on the phone as Brax explained the situation to her, both of them crying in a mixture of relief and a worry that someone was still out there trying to hurt Charlie.

But somehow, through the crying and trembling Ruby had managed to get to the hospital in record timing.

"Brax!" Ruby yelled down the corridor as she set her eyes on his lost figure.

Ruby felt her knees buckle as she saw him down the corridor, her legs failing her as she stumbled along in a jagged line, her body not really sure what to do or how to react. She wasn't even sure how she'd managed to get to the hospital. All it took was one nod from Brax and she ran towards him, her tears streaming down her face. Her legs moved faster than her mind could register and all her emotions hit her with a raw punch as she flung herself into his arms, her grip on him tighter than she'd ever held onto anyone. Her composure crumbled like a just baked cookie. She let herself cry into his shirt as one of his arms held her waist and the other clung onto the back of her head, running his fingers through her soft waved hair. Brax felt his own emotions at their wits end as the girl he saw as a daughter trembled in his arms, a mixture of fear and joy, of pain and happiness, of grief and love.

"She's ok Rubes she's ok." He whispered, almost inaudible. He didn't even hear himself speak but she heard him loud and clear. It was only when she pulled back, she noticed his wide blood shot eyes. The ordeal was wrecking him just as much as it had her. As usual they both shared the same thing. They shared the same headspace. They shared a love for Charlie.

"Can I go and see her?" Ruby said tearfully, Brax let her go as one of Charlie's nurses nodded only for Inspector Joyce to hold her back.

"Actually we need to speak to you both first." He said, ignoring Brax's eyes burning angrily into the back of his head.

"Don't worry I'll go in and sit with her." Heath said reassuringly, nodding at Brax and Ruby as they were reluctantly led off down the corridor with Joyce and Sid.

* * *

"You watched us all grieve and yet you didn't say a word." Brax said dauntingly, half an hour later as he stood in the doorway to Sid's office where he and Ruby now stood rooted to the spot opposite Joyce and Sid.

"Brax I'm sorry." Sid said honestly.

"You're sorry, it's a bit late for that." Brax scoffed brutally, still standing with his hands on his hips, he'd declined Joyce's offer for a chair, and he couldn't relax after today's events.

He couldn't relax since he found out Charlie was alive.

"Look Brax, as hard as it is for you to understand I left the bay to be with her so that she could have some familiarity." Sid explained, trying to even things out steadily.

"She could have had that with me and Rubes, in the bay." Brax answered back, his voice harsh and brash.

"No, she left so that Ruby would be safe Brax!" He said, his voice raising slightly, Brax looked at Ruby who'd still refused to say anything. "She was used as a leash to reel Charlie in. She wanted you with her, but as long as she did that Ruby wouldn't be safe." Sid explained desperately, throwing an apologetic look at Ruby who sat in a dazed silence.

"I knew all of it and I couldn't stay and watch you all fall apart. I couldn't watch you crumble." Sid said honestly, looking at the harrowed faced man before him directly in the eye.

"As much as this chat is touching, we need to discuss Charlie's safety." Joyce spoke bitterly,

Brax's sharp inhale of breath didn't go unnoticed by Ruby or Sid as Joyce spoke.

"Yeah because you're the expert on that aren't you?" Brax replied tauntingly.

"Better than you were." Joyce swiped back in torment. Ruby quickly grasped onto Brax's arm as he clenched his fist and went to move forward,

"Brax." She said softly, standing in front of him and pushing him back softly, waiting for his anger to subside before she let go.

"Did you know Jake has a hit out on her?" Brax demanded.

"No." Joyce answered. "Which is why she can go back to the bay." He said suddenly, causing Ruby and Brax to look at him puzzled,

"You're joking right?" Ruby said, almost laughing in her seat. "She's in danger and you want her back in summer bay?"

"We can keep an eye on her there." Joyce explained.

"I thought that was the point of witness protection?" Brax said in a mimicking police officer voice,

"She will have you all around her, officers close by- watching your every move." Joyce said adamantly, "If anyone notices anything suspicious we'll be right on it."

"Just like you were before aye?" Brax said sardonically,

"We can't keep her in witness protection now- not now you all know." Joyce said, pointing to the two of them, "And summer bay may be the least obvious place for anyone to come looking" Joyce said, justifying himself, though none of them knew the irony of his words.

"Doesn't bring back the past six months though does it?" Brax spat out.

"How could you get it so wrong?" Ruby asked Joyce, shaking her head at him, tears brimming in her eyes,

"I was doing what I thought was best." He said, with some form of remorse in his voice.

"Well you thought wrong didn't you?" She said, raising her voice and her finger pointing accusingly at him, "Because now, we're the ones that have to live with your mistakes, and Charlie's the one that has to live in danger." She yelled, looking at him in anger for a few seconds, her breathing harsh and ragged. Sid looked between Brax and Ruby, noticing how Brax did nothing to prevent her outburst, because they both knew she was right.

"You were the one to put her in danger," Joyce yelled, shifting the blame onto Brax as he shouted at him "I can't believe Daryl Braxton of all people couldn't keep things under wraps for longer." He finished.

"It really breaks my heart to disappoint you Sarg." Brax drooled mockingly.

"For gods sake Daryl this isn't a game!" Joyce snapped, slamming his fist on the table.

"You want to play that card with me?" Brax boomed, "Protecting her safety is never your priority, covering your arse is number one." He barked truthfully.

* * *

"Where's Brax?" Charlie croaked, her eyes still shut as she began to wake up, her head pounding in pain.

"He's just had to go speak with the doc," Heath explained softly, chuckling as Charlie raised a brief smile at hearing Brax was at the hospital. "Hey Buckton-wakey wakey!" Heath cooed, leaning over Charlie as she started to become more alert, "You are just full of surprises aren't you?" he chuckled, leaning back into his chair as her eyes slowly began to open.

"Argh god, why do you have to be the first thing I see when I wake up." She groaned, trying to add a light-hearted spin onto the situation.

"What are you talking about I'm drop dead gorgeous." Heath said teasingly,

"I could think of better company after a brain operation." Charlie deadpanned, smiling through the pain aching in her head as Heath put his hand over his heart.

"Break my heart Buckton- I'm hurt."

"Heath, you give most people headaches on a good day."

"Hahaha Buckton." Heath laughed robotically, throwing her a hurt look. "It may come as a surprise to you but I have emotions." He said matter of factly.

"Just don't ever tell anyone I said that." He grinned as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Joking aside, you reckon I have a right to know who this guy is now?" Charlie asked, cocking an eyebrow up at him.

"Buckton-" Heath started, only to be stopped in his tracks by Charlie.

"That wasn't a question Heath. Tell me who he is!" Charlie demanded, her voice still dreary in her drugged up state.

Heath hesitated slightly as she looked at him through tired but pleading eyes, He couldn't lie to her anymore. "Danny, his name's Danny, Danny Braxton."

"What?" Charlie croaked, the disbelief in her voice blatantly clear as she realised whom the man was.

Heath sighed, "I know this is a lot to take in but we need to keep this between the two of us. If we tell them they're not gonna do anything until there is solid evidence." He rambled on, before looking up at Charlie who leant her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes, trying to will all of this away.

"So what we just sit pretty and wait for him to throw another brick at my head." Charlie said sarcastically.

"No I watch your back and we wait for him to slip up." Heath said,

"That's a real comforting thought Heath."

"Nice to know you have so much faith in me Buckton." Heath joked. It was only then Charlie realised, Heath had a pure strength inside of him, his willingness to protect her came from a loyalty towards Brax, a loyalty she once despised. Now, she found it giving her the strength to take a chance.

* * *

Heath lifted his head up from the foot of Charlie's bed as the door creaked open and a tired looking Brax and Ruby walked in one after the other, their eyes instantly landing on a sleeping Charlie.

Both Brax and Heath watched as Ruby peered at Charlie's paled complexion, her eyes saddened at the various wires springing out from Charlie's arms. She stood unblinking as she took in the sight of her mother.

"You didn't tell me she was…" Ruby trailed off as her eyes fell on Charlie's small baby bump. "Congratulations I guess." She said slowly as she glanced briefly at an unmoving Brax who stood paralysed to the spot as the familiarity of seeing Charlie still on a hospital bed. His eyes instinctively found the heart rate monitor-as though he was checking she was still with them.

Neither of them new what to say to each other, a calm silence fell over the room. They all just waited and watched the person whose death had broken them and waited for her life to revive them.

Ruby glanced at Brax, her eyes glistening with tears as she saw him gulp and blink a few times; she rested her hand on his back and tilted her head onto his shoulder. Brax watched as Ruby squeezed his hand slightly before letting go and making her way over to Charlie's bed. She paused for a moment as she held onto Charlie's hand, the familiarity of her mothers touch flooding her mind, the realization of how long it'd been aching in her heart. "It's a good thing I have you as a mum to take after." Ruby spoke softly, her hand brushing over Charlie's hairline, "Otherwise I don't think I would have been strong enough to get through this." She whispered, wiping a tear away. "I missed you so much." She whispered, moving closer to Charlie and leaning her head down next to their entwined hands.

"I'll bet money that I missed you more." A voice croaked teasingly,

Instantly Ruby's head snapped up and her eyes widened with tears at the familiar voice she'd longed to hear for so long. "You're alive." Ruby whispered in disbelief, the fact of hearing Charlie's voice making the situation more believable.

"Am I allowed to ask where my hug is?" Charlie smiled sweetly as she brushed her hand up to Ruby's cheek and wiped her daughters tears from her eyes. Ruby nodded and reached forward, eagerly but gently into Charlie's arms, Charlie pursed her lips and closed her eyes as Ruby sobbed gently into her chest, her body shaking slightly.

Brax and Heath watched the interaction, both suddenly feeling intrusive in the moment Charlie and Ruby were sharing.

"They told me you were gone." Ruby sobbed as she pulled back, clasping her hand over her mouth to try and quieten her uncontrollable stream of tears "I missed you so much mummy," Ruby said, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Hey, hey it's ok, I'm here now." Charlie whispered, brushing a stray hair behind Ruby's ear and wiping the underneath of her daughters' eyes gently. She felt her heart flutter as Ruby called her mummy; it was like a little 5 year old girl crying to her mum but to Charlie it meant the world to hear it from her 20 year old daughter, hearing Ruby call her mum made her realise how lonely Ruby must have been.

"I love you mum," Ruby whispered as Charlie pulled her close and held her tightly.

"I love you so much baby." Charlie whispered back, kissing the top of Ruby's head, her eyes dancing up slightly to meet Brax who smiled weakly at her, his eyes glistening with tears.

* * *

**Aw happy endings all round :') ...well kind of!**

**I wonder what Danny will do when Charlie arrives back in the bay… just a tease there!**

**Please review, I hope you all have a fabulous easter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello lovely readers!**

**Thank you for your lovely reviews!**

**I wanted to apologize for the lack of updates recently, it seems to be one of those times when life just seems to get in the way of all the things I want to do, which is frustrating because writing for me is my passion, but do not fear, I am still writing and updates will still come, just bear with me! (Lost then found will be updated next week!)**

**But for now, enjoy! :D x**

* * *

**CHAPTER 9: She's not you.**

"How are you feeling?" Brax asked three days later as he walked into her room, seeing her pack her bag whilst sitting on her bed in leggings and a hot pink maternity sports hoodie.

She hadn't heard him come in. But then again she hadn't heard him come in each night once everyone else had left; just to make sure she was ok. And she hadn't heard him leave again in the early hours of the morning.

Visiting hours had just opened, Charlie had told Ruby the night before to catch some well-earned rest before she got to go home. Ruby had refused initially, but as it turns out mum knows best and a reluctant Ruby caught some shuteye in the hotel across the road where her and the boys were staying.

"Good." Charlie answered, "Health wise anyway." She corrected, looking at the bed sheets.

"Otherwise?" Brax pursued

"I don't know if you'd really want to know." Charlie said honestly, stifling a small laugh. She watched as Brax sat down into the chair beside her bed, his fingers beginning to pick at the knitted blankets hanging over the side.

"Try me?" He asked back,

"Scared, nervous, confused, happy, alone." She listed, her voice quietening as she got to the end of her list. "What about you?" She finally asked, looking at a quiet Brax whose primary focus still seemed to be those bed sheets.

"Worried that I'm gonna come in one morning and this is gonna have all been in my head," he sighed, the conversation stilled for a moment.

"I forgot to say that as well." Charlie said, a smile flashing across her face for a brief moment. Her gaze finally settled on Brax's hands, they'd now stopped picking at the bed and one was now focused on twisting the ring around his finger on his other hand. She looked at him for a while, hating how they were talking to each other, with no love, no emotion. It seemed like he was here because he felt it was his _duty_ to be, not because he _wanted_ to be.

"You do that when you're nervous." Charlie said softly, putting her hand over his briefly. She watched him as he stopped and stared at it for a moment, but he didn't move his hand from hers. "You don't have to tell me why…you just don't need to be." She said softly, giving his hand a light squeeze.

The conversation had now completely stilled.

A part of Charlie had hoped Brax might have told her why he was nervous. She hated how they were talking. As if they were strangers.

"You know you're here really early today." Charlie piped up; he cocked an eyebrow and looked at her teasingly.

"I can go if you want?" Brax asked, a small smile crossing his face and bringing out his dimples that Charlie loved as she looked at him and shook her head.

There conversation may be of that between strangers, but both appreciated the others company more than they let on.

"And just for the record, I'm late today." Brax said, causing Charlie to throw him a confused look, she hadn't noticed over the past few days, he would leave at 7am in the morning after a long night and then get back at 10am, after Ruby and Heath, so she wouldn't feel like he was smothering her too much and overwhelming her. "I would have been earlier, but I thought I'd make a pit stop along the way." He added, it was only then Charlie noticed the little brown paper bag on his lap.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he handed it to her "You got my favourite." She smiled as she opened it and pulled out the blueberry muffin.

"Of course I did," Brax smiled back, Charlie cocked an eyebrow as she pulled out another one.

"You got one each." She said, handing one to him, she furrowed her brow as he shook his head.

"Nup, I got two for you." He corrected her,

"Is this your way of telling me I need to eat?" Charlie asked, smiling as Brax tilted his head to the side.

"Could be…or it could be because I know how much you hate hospital food, and I'm a nice person." He winked as she laughed at him, her smile for the first time in the past few days genuine. "But I'll let you decide which aye?" he chuckled as Charlie blushed.

Finally feeling slightly more comfortable, Charlie answered him with a teasing reply "I knew there was a reason I was with you." She laughed as Brax scoffed.

"Nice to know you were only with me for my doting personality and undying charm." Brax commented, rolling his eyes at her.

"That wasn't the only reason," Charlie said slyly, chuckling as Brax cocked an eyebrow suggestively at her. "But I'll let you decide what those were…aye?" She echoed his words from earlier, her face breaking out into a smile as Brax laughed.

"Hey mum," Ruby said as she walked into the room with Heath. Charlie frowned as Ruby gave her a brown paper bag from behind her back.

Charlie laughed at Brax as he raised his eyebrows. "More blueberry muffins!" She giggled, Brax joining in with her laughter.

"More?" Ruby questioned, laughing too when Brax held up the other bag on the bed next to Charlie. "Good minds think alike huh?" Ruby chuckled.

* * *

"I'm surprised you're not fat Buckton." Heath chuckled from his chair as Charlie finished the last of the blueberry muffins.

"I think I'm one of those skinny fat people." Charlie chuckled.

"I can't believe you get to come home this morning!" Ruby said happily, a large smile adorning her face.

"You better do, because we have loads of shopping trips to catch up on!" Charlie smiled, giving Ruby's hand a gentle squeeze, however as she looked at Brax and Heath she knew what they were both thinking. She wouldn't be able to walk around for hours like she used to.

"Mum where are you gonna stay?" Ruby piped up suddenly, "Because I would say you could stay with me but a caravan isn't too plush I'm afraid."

"Why are you staying in a caravan, what about Leah's?" Charlie asked,

"Things just didn't work out." Ruby said briefly, looking at Brax as he threw a weak smile at her. "But you could stay there," Ruby suggested, not noticing the sudden paled look that came over Charlie's face.

"I'll just get a motel room or something," Charlie shrugged simply, trying to ignore the sickly feeling that had risen in her stomach at the thought, she couldn't even bare to think about going back there, the thought of Jake haunted her mind.

"No you won't." Brax said, looking at Charlie in the eye, he nodded slightly at her, he understood why Leah's was the last place to go, even if she went back there, it would be the last place he'd want to go and visit her. Not to mention the awkward fact the Natalie was there.

"You know just coz Natalie's there doesn't mean Buckton can't take it, she's a tough cookie." Heath quipped as he noticed the exchanged glance between Brax and Charlie at the mention of Leah's, failing to register what it actually meant. "Hey if the woman can survive a gunshot she can survive a run in with Nat." Heath said in jest, only stopping as he noticed Brax shoot him a stone cold glare.

"Sorry." Heath said softly, looking at Brax.

Charlie didn't know what he was apologizing for until she noticed a silent Brax next to her, his eyes suddenly vacant of the happiness they were filled with earlier this morning. She swallowed the lump in her throat as his harrowed eyes looked at her briefly for a moment.

"He was only joking." She whispered softly, taking his hand from her bed and squeezing it for a second

"You can stay in Casey's room." Brax said suddenly

"Won't Casey need it?" Charlie asked, looking at him questionably with her eyebrows raised.

"He's in jail." Heath piped up. Charlie looked at each of them before her eyes finally settled on Ruby who remained silent. She looked up at Charlie briefly through glassy eyes, smiling weakly at her for a moment.

"That's not the only thing that's changed, place is full of surprises." Brax said almost bitterly.

"Hi guys," Sid said as he walked through the door, instantly noticing the tensed atmosphere in the room. "I just need to do some routine checks from the surgery and with the baby before I give you the all clear to go home." Sid said uneasily, watching as Brax saw the ultrasound equipment in his hands.

"I might wait outside." Brax said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder and walking out, as much as his heart wanted to stay he found his head telling him to go. He couldn't face any of it. How could he stay in that room and pretend everything was normal, he felt like he'd let down his own child, whilst Charlie had been alone and pregnant, he'd been shacking up with Natalie.

Charlie tried to hide the disappointment in her eyes but it went noticed anyway by both Ruby and Heath.

* * *

Charlie and Ruby came out of the hospital room a while later, their eyes meeting an anxious Heath.

Heath saw the puzzled expression on Charlie's face as one particular person was nowhere in sight, he answered her question before she even had time to ask him.

"His head's all over the place." Heath explained, watching as Charlie nodded slowly. "I reckon you guys should talk, properly talk about everything." Heath said,

"Go talk to him mum, we'll meet you at home." Ruby offered gently.

Charlie nodded, kissing her daughters forehead gently before walking away from the pair, following the exit signs through the winding corridors.

* * *

Charlie's eyes instantly found Brax's Ute in the car park. She stopped and looked at him for a moment, her eyes fixated on his broken form. His head was buried into the steering wheel before his fist slammed onto the dashboard and he threw his head back in frustration, making her wince in pain. She hesitantly walked over to him and tapped anxiously on the window of the passenger side of the car. She sighed as he gave no response, instead he just stared ahead of him, deciding to see how far she could take this she stood and waited, not saying anything, not knocking again, just waiting for Brax to realise she wasn't going to leave him alone. She exhaled, defeated as she stood by the door, leaning her head back in exhaustion against the window. Never in her life had she known anyone to frustrate her so much that it made her love them even more. She opened her eyes as she heard a faint clicking sound of the car locks, taking a brief moment to look at him, without hesitation opened the door and climbed in.

"Your heads ok?" Brax asked her instantly, his gaze still set firmly ahead of him. Charlie noticed how he refused to ask about the baby.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure yours is." She said honestly, watching as he tensed slightly, yet didn't answer. "Take me for a drive." Charlie said quietly, she smiled faintly as Brax, as he used to, gave no response apart from the now fresh rumble of the engine that filled the air.

Neither of them spoke on the hour-long drive up the coast, partly because they already knew what the other was thinking and partly because they didn't want to disrupt the calmness that eased throughout the car. Charlie smiled as Brax pulled up to an empty car park on a picturesque road, a wide beach laid out in front of them, the sea glistening in the sunset, she recognised it, it was the secluded part of summer bay.

"I don't know what to say now." Charlie said honestly as they both sat down on the sand in silence. Everything was relaxed and peaceful, the sun the sea combined with Brax made her feel happy for the first time in 6 months.

"Have you ever thought about moving on?" He asked, the thought irked him and he refused to look at her as she answered, his throat constricting at the thought.

"No." Charlie admitted. "It never would've felt the same. I knew that."

"It didn't." Brax said honestly "Wanted to. I wanted to feel like that again but it never worked." He said, biting the inside of his cheek to restrain some of what he was feeling.

"I'd hate me if I were you." she said, taking a brief look at him as he swung his head round to face her,

"And I'd hate me if I were you." He said back, nodding his head slightly, his eyes glistening with a sadness that Charlie didn't recognise.

"Why? I have nothing to hate you for?" Charlie asked, laughing softly,

"I'd hate to know you'd been with someone else." Brax said, swallowing the lump in his throat, he heard her inhale sharply at the mention of it.

"I can't hate you for that." Charlie said, "I could never hate you." She spoke reassuringly, "Besides all I want is for you to be happy." She ended in a whisper, refusing to give in and look at him, despite feeling his eyes on her.

"Wouldn't stop me wanting to kick the guy's head in if the situation was reversed." Brax said, chuckling as Charlie tried and failed to stifle the laugh.

"It's funny because you'd actually do it." She said, smiling at him for a brief moment, "But it's easier than you think." She said honestly, "I'd rather have you back in my life than not at all." She whispered softly. She watched as Brax shuffled slightly, lifting his knees up and hung his arms loosely around them. A somewhat comforting silence overcame them, both of them watching as the ocean was crashing, waves hitting sand, then pulling back to sea like everything being washed away, again and again. We make such messes in this life, both accidentally and on purpose. But wiping the surface clean doesn't really make anything neater.

It just masks what is below.

"I was happy with you Charlie, not with Natalie." Brax said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Did you give it the chance?" Charlie asked, turning to face him,

"Why does that matter?" Brax asked back, a hint of anger upsetting his voice. "You tell me why that matters Charlie because as far as I'm concerned if I cared about Natalie a mere smidge of how I felt about you I wouldn't have gone into your room the other night." Brax said. They both knew it was true. "She's not you Charlie, so it won't work, it never will."

"Maybe…a change is good." Charlie offered up.

"Nah, tried it for 6 months. Didn't like it." Brax said, looking over to her and seeing a hint of a sad smile on Charlie's face. They both hadn't liked it.

"You know she even mentioned us settling down together." He said, pretending not to watch her out the corner of his eye as she stiffened, "A future together, somewhere up the coast." He continued. Charlie just kept her gaze on the waves ahead, trying to keep her emotions in check, but each time a knew wave tumbled to the ground, she found her heart lurching further up her throat. "I want those things Charlie, just not with her." He admitted,

"Brax don't-" she started, trying to prevent her disobedient tears from falling but finding she couldn't restrict them anymore as they fell swiftly from her eyes. She felt them worsen as Brax shuffled closer to her, his body pulling her closer to him and his arms enveloping her into his chest,

"Don't what? Say what we came out here to say?" he asked, dropping his head down to her level, his hand through pure instinct coming up to her cheeks and wiping her tears away.

"You know us being together is dangerous." Charlie whispered, beginning to pull away from him. As much as she wanted to stay cuddled into his chest she couldn't _allow_ herself to ruin his life again, she couldn't let him get too close to have them ripped apart again by things beyond their control. She couldn't _let _herself hurt him.

"Yeah I know that, I was the one who lived with the consequences for 6 months." Brax said absentmindedly, almost blurting out the obvious. Instantly regretting it as Charlie shot him a look.

"What and I didn't?!" She scoffed in disbelief, getting to her feet and walking away from him, pulling her hand from his, despite the fact it was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Charlie-" Brax called, running after her, "Charlie wait!" he begged, coming to a standstill in front of her, trying to block her from walking any further. He found his heart breaking as he looked at the tears now running down her cheeks, his heart breaking at the fact that_ he_ was the reason they were there.

"I want everyone to stop assuming I had it easy!" She shouted, wiping her tears away furiously with the backs of her hands.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry." Brax said, holding his hands up in surrender,

"Do you know how lonely I was? You might not have had me, but you had Heath and Ruby, you had all the people that loved you around you. I had no one Brax…and every day when I went to bed I said I love _you_." Charlie said, her voice quivering as she cried, her shaken composure partly of sadness and partly in fear of his reaction. "Sad as it is I did it, just because it made me feel as though you weren't just a memory." She finished in a whisper, her tears still falling as he looked at her through plagued eyes, Charlie nodded to him as he took it in, his face in shock at how she'd been dedicated to it, how she'd felt, how she still felt.

"Charlie-" he started

She shook her head and cut him off "Can you drive me home." She said, more of a statement than a question, she knew both of them were too riled up to finish a mature conversation.

"Stop." Brax said, holding onto her hand as she walked past him, he was about to say something to her until he noticed her eyes gazing at the tattoo on his hand

"That's a new one." Charlie said, brushing her thumb over the ridge of his hand where the tattoo was inked to his skin.

"Had it a while now." Brax commented, his eyes meeting the tattoo, of all the seven he had, that was the one he dedicated himself too, when he looked at it a chimera of memories confronted him, a hurricane of emotion hurled inside of him, all because of the woman that stood before him now.

"What does it say?" Charlie asked timidly, her eyes still focused on the tattoo.

Charlie looked up to him when he didn't answer, and for the third time in the past week she saw a tear in his eye, and as it fell from the corner of his eye she instantly knew what it was about.

"I got it 6 months ago…" Brax said, Charlie nodded and looked up at him, both unsure of what to say to each other, both had revealed things they would never reveal to anyone else but each other and found that they were still confused and unsure of how to process the events.

"There you two are!" A voice yelled pulling their eyes from each others. Brax instantly dropped Charlie's hand as they saw Ruby and Heath running to join them.

"You've been gone for hours!" Ruby said, running up to Charlie and hugging her, it was only then Charlie and Brax noticed the darkness that surrounded them. "Saw your car in the car park, we were getting a bit worried, thought some passer by may see an unwanted bit of rumpy bumpy." Heath teased, beginning to laugh at his own joke, only for it to subside as no one else joined in and Brax threw him a glare before beginning to walk back up to his car.

"Ok maybe now's not the time for a joke." Heath called after Brax, Brax ignoring him in frustration that as he and Charlie were finally getting somewhere, their time was shortened.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed that!**

**I know some of this may seem pretty deep but I want to explore deep into the characters feelings to make it as realistic as possible!**

**Please review with a cherry on top! Thanks guys! X**


	10. Chapter 10

**Cooey lovely readers!**

**Here is another long awaited chapter! (It follows on from the previous one)**

**I am flattered by your reviews and love reading them so thank you!**

**Enjoy! X**

* * *

**Chapter 10: The Pain of Risking Loving her**

Charlie found her feet stop as she climbed out of the car when the pulled up at Brax's house that evening. Her feet wanted to move but her heart was telling them she wasn't ready. Just looking at it from the outside brought back a rush of feelings she wasn't strong enough to bare. She couldn't remember specific memories, but she knew it was a place she'd loved and been loved. She knew it was a place where part of her past resided. Stepping in through the door presented a challenge itself. She already felt confronted with her emotions, not realising when her hand leant out onto the car for support. She looked over at Brax who didn't say anything but instead stared at the house with what she could only assume were the same feelings. He looked at that house in a different way now. He'd been confronted with her memories whilst she'd been gone but now she was back he found they were hurling towards him like a tonne of bricks and he was powerless to stop them. Each window he looked at reminded him of a room, which reminded him of a memory, each one he wanted to smile at but found himself saddened by the fact that as he looked over to her, he knew she was thinking the same thing but wouldn't be able to share those exact memories with him. She would be able to remember some things but wouldn't be able to remember each moment they'd shared in that house.

Noticing the exchange, Heath glanced from brax and then to Charlie, whose eyes seemed to have watered as she stared at the house. "You ok Buckton?" he asked sympathetically. She nodded cautiously, her eyes following his hands as he reached out for her bags.

"I'll take them." He said softly, taking them from her grasp.

"Thanks." Charlie whispered softly, it was only as she spoke and got torn back to reality she felt Ruby and Brax's eyes on her, clearing her throat she walked up to the house, her hands lingering on each surface as she walked inside slowly, she felt a warmth deep in her chest as she looked around the living area. Her heart fluttering as she looked down at the sofa, she felt her cheeks redden as she suddenly linked the sudden heat in her cheeks to what had happened on that couch and she looked up at Brax a small, slight smile creeping onto his face as her eyes looked from him to the sofa and he noticed her crimson cheeks.

"You know mum I was thinking maybe we could go up the coast for a long weekend like we used to." Ruby said as she sunk down onto the couch,

Charlie nodded hesitantly, unsure of what she meant, "Um, yeah sure Rubes..." She said, trailing off before she thought of another question, trying to avoid telling Ruby she couldn't remember the exact location, "Where did you have in mind?"

Ruby scoffed, "What do you mean where do I have in mind we only go to one place." She laughed, failing to notice Brax's jaw clenching slightly from where he stood before he moved to the kitchen and boiled the kettle, his mind trying to focus on anything else but Charlie, he couldn't begin to imagine what it must be like for her, not being able to remember.

"Oh, right yeah sure maybe sometime Rubes." Charlie said, lifting her head as Brax walked back in with a mug in his hand and gave it to her,

"You ok?" he mouthed gently, Charlie nodded her head slightly, her eyes averting his burning gaze on her. Heath watched the exchange as Brax looked at her unconvincingly before passing the cup of tea to her in defeat as her eyes looked beyond him, not at him. Charlie drew in a shaken breath as Brax's hand brushed passed hers as he placed the cup in her hands. Everyone in the room but Charlie had noticed how Brax had automatically made Charlie a cup of tea without her having to ask him.

"You guys want a cuppa?" he asked, Charlie's head instantly snapping up as she realised, he'd made her one without asking, but asked Ruby and Heath.

"Coffee please." Ruby smiled sweetly,

"Same mate." Heath replied as he flicked on the TV.

"Mum do you wanna watch a movie?" Ruby asked, turning to face Charlie, "We could watch your favourite?" she offered, failing to register as Charlie's eyes widened slightly. She couldn't remember her favourite movie.

"Rubes-" Brax started gently, only to be broken off by Charlie.

"You know what I'm actually pretty tired I'm gonna head off to bed." Charlie said brashly, placing her half empty mug on the coffee table and placing a lingering kiss on her daughters forehead before heading down the corridor, searching for Casey's room, she sighed as she opened the second to last door, inside looked reasonably unlived in unlike the others and her bags were on the bed. She leant against the door, her palms flat against it as she let out a lengthy breath. this was going to be hard.

* * *

**20 minutes later**

Brax hovered outside the door for what seemed like an eternity, raising his hand to knock one minute and then holding back the next. Going to turn the doorknob and them placing his hands behind his back and trying to resist the urge to go in and talk to her. His hand lingered on the doorknob for a moment before he drew it back as he heard someone's voice,

"She won't bite." Ruby smiled as she walked along the corridor silently, her feet making the faintest of padding sounds against the carpet. "Promise." She giggled, patting Brax on the back before continuing down the corridor to the bathroom, nodding her head to him as he turned back to look at her, his hand back on the doorknob. He let out a shaken breath before turning the door handle and opening the door slightly, his breath hitching in his throat as he saw her cradling her bare bump in the reflection of the mirror, her fingers tracing their way across the delicate skin, tears fresh and lingering in her eyes. He thougt he'd been in pain when she died but that felt like nothing compared to the pain he felt now. The pain of knowing she'd been out there, all these months, carrying his child. There was so much he'd felt like he'd missed out on. So much he would have had to look forward to had he known. The pain of losing her didn't come close to seeing the smile on her face in the reflection and knowing he'd missed out for 6 months.

* * *

Charlie smiled as she turned and her eyes caught her bump in the floor length mirror in the corner of the room, her hands tracing lightly over her bare skin. The whole situation was still surreal to her, she didn't know how to feel, part of her felt as though it was reincarnated now she had Brax back in her life and part of her felt more lost than last week. The one thing she had to hold onto was her baby. Her smile widened to her eyes as she cradled her bump with both of her hands, the only thing she knew for sure was that this baby was going to be the life of her.

"Oh my god!" she squealed and jumped around as the door clicked shut, quickly grabbing Brax's night shirt from the end of the bed and holding it against her chest, her breathing calming as she saw who it was, her fears of covering up her body no longer there.

"Sorry." Brax chuckled as he leant back gently on the door behind him, his eyes darting elsewhere in the room to resist looking at her, to resist the smile that wanted to leap onto his face at the bare sight of her, the sight he'd longed to see for 6 months, the sight he'd missed so much he couldn't bare to look at now in fear that it would disappear before his eyes.

"I thought you were Heath." Charlie explained with a timid laugh that Brax didn't recognise. Everything about her was familiar but new, she'd changed and he'd changed, they'd changed because of each other and because of their experience that they shared, so why did it feel like they were pushing each other away, even in the slightest of forms.

"You don't have to worry about him walking in here, I'd kill him." Brax said with a blunt honesty that Charlie couldn't help but laugh at, her smile only widening as a grin formed on his cheeks and for the first time in a long time his smile reached his eyes. An unsettling silence rose between the two of them as Charlie's brief laughter ceased and Brax's smile faded. "So, are you ok?" Brax asked anxiously, jutting his head back towards the door, reminding her of the situation with Ruby and her own dim memory.

Brax nodded faintly as Charlie nodded but spoke no words. He found himself recognizing the distant look on her face, the one where she'd evade his eyes, avoid looking at him completely and focus on anything but him. He wasn't sure if she did it out of nervousness of being alone with him or of being honest with him.

"You don't have to lie to me Charlie," Brax said sincerely, peering at her from the short distance that they stood apart. Neither of them knew the boundaries as Brax stepped slowly closer to her. All they knew was that they'd found each other again yet for some reason they both felt so alone.

"I'm not lying." Charlie said, evading Brax's eyes as he stepped closer to her, so close their bodies were almost touching. Charlie found herself closing her eyes, praying he'd step away from her, not wanting to give into him, not wanting to give way to his body. Brax sucked in a quiet breath, his heart beating ten to the dozen as they stood opposite, both melting in the heat that rose between their two bodies.

Brax swallowed a lump in his throat and found the courage to tug on her hand with his left one, both of them noticing yet neither of them saying how they slotted perfectly into one and other, Brax's hand engulfing Charlie's in warmth and hers failing to resist holding his back. Charlie blinked back her tears that wanted to fall as he tilted her head up to catch his gaze with the pad of his right thumb. The mere touch of his hand delicately touching his face sending ripples of shock tumbling through her body. "Yeah you are because you're doing that thing where you look at everything else but me." Brax spoke softly, smiling weakly as she looked up at him with her huge blue eyes, widened with surprise and tinted with love. She loved that he could remember each detail about her, they were both being utterly consumed by something that died when they parted. Love. "It's been 6 months but I haven't forgotten." Brax whispered, his eyes darting between both of hers and drifting down towards her lips that pursed as she swallowed the lump in her throat that arose as she noticed how close he was to her, at how she swore if he edged any further towards her he would hear her heart trying to burst through her chest. Then, as if something switched inside her, she remembered how lonely she'd been for the past few months and how he'd been supported by someone else, someone that wasn't her.

He knew the second she pulled her hand away he'd lost his moment. He closed his eyes briefly as she stepped back from him and fiddled with her fingers, her hands clasping and unclasping in nervousness, "Brax please don't make this harder-"

Brax sighed as she spoke, "No Charlie I'm not, I'm telling you how I feel." He said honestly, taking her aback slightly. Braxtons never told anyone their feelings, ever. The last time he did that she'd died a short time later, he learnt never to open his heart like that again, to anyone, yet here he found himself doing it again for the very same woman that made him realize the ability to feel something that he'd never known existed until being with her.

"Well please, make this easy and don't." Charlie said, noticing the way Brax's eyes dimmed slightly and dropped at her comment. The brief spark that resided in them now diminished and replaced with a blank look. If she was being honest, she wasn't sure which one she preferred.

"Charlie none of this is going to be ea-." Brax said, instantly stopped as she winced slightly, and her hands fell to her bump. He moved forward as she leant on the dresser for a moment for support until her hand relaxed, "What's wrong?" Brax asked instantly, his hand resting on the small of her back as he face tensed and then relaxed again.

"Nothing, he's- he's kicking." Charlie giggled, taking Brax's hands in hers and placing them on her tiny petite stomach. She grinned as Brax's eyes widened with shock as he felt Charlie's skin move beneath his hand, his mind only just coming to the realization that there was a mini them inside of her.

"That's amazing." He breathed, the glistening tears in his eyes not going unnoticed by Charlie who reached up her hand to his cheek, tenderly brushing his lone tear away before placing her hands over his on her bump, "Does she always do that?" Brax said, clearing his throat as his voice choked, partly because of the overwhelming emotion of happiness he felt and partly due to the harsh fact that as Charlie nodded he realized he'd missed out on a lot these past 6 months.

"She?" Charlie questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I've decided our bub is gonna be a girl." Brax said proudly, his hands still on her bump as she smiled up at him, finally moving closer to him instead of further away.

"Really have you now?" Charlie grinned, a firm smile set upon her face as he smiled cheekily down at her and nodded his head, his hands moving around her waist and settling on the small of her back, his arms, comfortingly around her, both of them contently close.

"Yep, yes I have." Brax said, a small smirk on his face, "And she's gonna take after her mum so I'm gonna buy a rifle in advance to scare off all those boys." He teased, grinning as Charlie hit his arm playfully, he watched as she smiled up at him and shook her head. "I'm sure it's gonna be a boy."

"I'm always right." Brax said smugly, laughing as Charlie scoffed and shook her head again.

"No, he's gonna be a boy and have daddy's dimples." She cooed, resting her hands on Brax's cheeks, laughing as he smiled and flashed his dimples.

"You're wrong." He stated, "Our little girl is going to be gorgeous, just like her mum."

"We'll have to agree to disagree there then." Charlie said adamantly. Their conversation lulled and it was only as Charlie's laughter ceased that Brax noticed how close they were, how his arms had naturally come to settle at the small of her back, his thumbs gently massaging her soft skin. He smiled as Charlie closed her eyes momentarily at his thumbs gently pressing into her lower back in slow circular motions. The feeling of having his hands on her skin like that drove her crazy, it made her realize how much she missed his comfort, and he could tell by the way her head dropped into his chest briefly and her eyes remained shut as his hands moved back around to her stomach, leaving a heated trail of fire on her skin in their midst. Sucking in a breath Charlie spoke softly and pulled away

"I'm sorry."

"Charlie." Brax sighed, going to move forwards towards her. He noticed as he caught her gaze that a few tears ran down her cheeks, he wanted to move forwards yet the look in her eyes telling him not to made his feet stay rooted to the spot he was in. despite his hear yearning to reach out to her.

"Umm…" he trailed off, clearing his throat as he went to speak again, ignoring the tightening in his lungs that constricted his chest. "Extra blankets are in the cupboard." He said, his eyes saddening as she nodded and wiped the remainder of her tears away with the back of her hand, wiping away the remainders of any effect he'd had on her. "If you need anything-"

"I'll find it." Charlie spoke, throwing him a weak smile, Brax shook his head and corrected her,

"Wake me up." He said softly. She nodded her head reluctantly. He bit the inside of his cheek as she looked at him blankly, any remainder of the moment they just shared completely erased by her sudden distance. He nodded silently at her before retreating out of the room, his legs taking him as fast as he possibly could.

* * *

Charlie felt her hand trail up to her mouth as Brax closed the door behind him; the cry that escaped her had a quiet brittle quality to it. The tear that rolled down her cheek bounced of the moonlight that fell in strips through the curtains and glistened in the darkness. She couldn't let go of the pain she felt because that'd be like letting go of the emotion she had towards Brax, yet in her mind she had no right to hold on to him. No right to hold on to what they once had. She felt herself crumbling at being in the familiar house in the familiar town with the familiar beach but the unfamiliar Brax, the unfamiliar space they share between them. She couldn't figure out what it was, what she meant to him. His usually bright green eyes seemed to have lost their glimmer and instead ripped through her to her soul, she couldn't figure out if it was good or bad. And she was kidding herself if she said she couldn't forgive him for moving on, she couldn't forgive herself for crumbling at the gunshots. She couldn't forgive herself for leaving him. She didn't deserve him.

* * *

Brax tilted his head against the cool wooden frame of the door as he lingered outside of Charlie's room, his own tears escaping from his eyes, finally coming out. He couldn't help it as he looked at the digital clock hung on the wall and watched the neon green numbers morph into that same green flat line, the faint buzzing echoing in his head from 6 months ago. He couldn't help but let more tears fall as her quiet sobs echoed quietly through the door, yet Brax couldn't find the strength to go back in. He longed to retreat back into the room with her, yet the sudden touch of her skin beneath his fingers seemed to have made his legs incapable of movement. The neon line that encapsulated his vision seemed to overwhelm his body; his hand in hers by her dimly lit bedside haunted his mind and possessed him. A mere few minutes ago he'd held the same hand, felt those same fingers entwined with his, he felt the heat and the life radiate within them, but he still felt just as empty. He felt guilty for attempting to move on without her. It took her living for him to realize the anguish he felt over her death, the risk of the love he felt was the loss that consumed him, and the price of that loss was the grief that anguished him. But the pain of his grief was only a shadow when compared with the pain of risking loving her.

* * *

**The Following Day**

Charlie sighed the next morning as she woke up slowly, the coldness of the mattress next to her becoming all too painfully familiar; it was a dim wake up welcome compared to when she had Brax lying next to her. His absence presented her with a stark contrast to now and a few nights ago. She shivered slightly as the curtains flapped in the breeze, the loose chiffon billowing in the breeze pouring in from outside. Feeling the chill get colder she got up slowly, gently pulling the window too as she slipped on a pair of her slippers lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. She rubbed her eyes slowly as she padded down the corridor. Charlie jumped as she took in the figure that stood in the kitchen; she felt her mouth dry up as she took in his shirtless form, the way his muscles tensed slightly as he leant on the kitchen side,

"You're up early." He spoke huskily; Charlie couldn't resist the smile that adorned her face at his voice, the just woke up tone rippling through it. She used to love that about him, the way his voice cracked slightly when he woke up in the mornings, the way his hair was ruffled in tufts from a nights sleep, except this morning she noticed his hair was distinctly unruffled, which she thought strange considering Brax was usually a deep sleeper.

"You're up late." She replied softly, her hands gently cradling her bump, she leant on the doorframe slightly, pretending not to notice as Brax's eyes drifted from the bottoms of her legs up to her petite face, what she didn't realise was the pain he felt when doing so, the realization that he'd missed the warmth of her body for 6 months, the way her skin used to feel under his came flooding back to him as he took in her form. She so wanted to walk towards him and palm her hands on his chest like she used to, feel his arms wrap around her in the content form they once had, but instead found her feet rooted to the spot, his form sadly reminding her of what she'd lost for the past 6 months.

"I just got used to-"

"Not having anything to wake up to." Charlie finished, smiling sadly at Brax as he nodded before peering at her, confused.

"How'd you know?'

"It's been 6 months but despite everything I still know you." Charlie whispered, echoing his words from last night. She looked up at him cautiously as he nodded slightly, his large frame still leaning against the counter top. As their eyes met Charlie was surprised to see how much pain his eyes bore within them. They looked sunken and he had dark circles lining the rims of his eyes, he too had gained no sleep from last night. Charlie found herself sucking in a breath as Brax's eyes teared into her, it was like he was looking deep inside her, like he already knew how she was feeling, her feelings hadn't changed since the hospital, she was still scared, lonely, isolated. He was still confused, scared, hurt. It was only as Charlie happened to glance down at Brax's hands she knew how nervous and upset he was, the common trait he had of twisting the ring on his middle finger hadn't subsided. He felt his heart ache as she smiled at him weakly, both of them wanting to understand each other but too scared of the outcome of the conversation to speak. Charlie's eyes filled with a glimmer of hope as Brax opened his mouth to speak, only for their trance to be interrupted by the sound of whistling echoing down the hallway.

"Goooood morning!" Heath cooed, kissing Charlie on the cheek as he passed her and pecking Brax on the cheek too, laughing as Brax slapped him round the head and pulled a sickening face. "Cor don't you two look happy to see me" Heath teased as Brax and Charlie stood in silence, their eyes occasionally flickering over towards each others, a light blush creeping against Charlie's cheeks as Brax did so. Heath sighed and slammed the kitchen cupboard door as a sudden repetitive banging sounded on the other side, he held his hand up to Brax who went to move towards the door and instead made his way over, jumping over the back of the couch as he did so.

Brax chuckled as Heath opened the door and as if on cue a gust of wind blew in as a stormy looking Bianca stood on the other side.

"Before you shout-" Heath started, sighing as Bianca instantly started yelling at him.

"Are you going to tell me where the hell you've been!" Bianca screeched, holding her arms out in desperation and looking at him pleadingly, "Not even a phone call Heath a damn phone call." She yelled, throwing her mobile against his chest as he continued to grin slyly at her.

"Hello to you two gorgeous." Heath laughed, ducking as Bianca's hand swiped for his head and her nostrils flared slightly.

"Don't you dare gorgeous me Heath Braxton, you better have a damn good excuse for taking off like tha-" she scolded incredulously at him, instantly stopping as she noticed the lean brunette figure in the background. She instantly dropped her hands from pointing at Heath and they hung loosely at her sides as she stood in utter shock, her voice loosing her as she took in her best friends image. She felt her hand fly towards her mouth as she let out a choked sob, her voice coming out in a mere almost inaudible whisper. The word came out almost as a statement of disbelief than a question, but she still found herself in complete shock, her body instantly crumbling at the sight of her dead friend. "Charlie."

"Oh my god…wha-how?" Bianca asked as she stumbled slightly through the door, her eyes never leaving Charlie as she walked in, as if she were afraid she would disappear and this whole thing would have been an evil play with her mind.

"You can thank me later." Heath said, kissing her forehead gently as she looked at him briefly before her eyes drifted back to Charlie, widening slightly as she spotted the protruding bump underneath Brax's old shirt she was wearing.

"And you're-" She gasped, a tear trickling down her cheek as Charlie nodded at her. Bianca couldn't stop herself as she wrapped her arms tightly around her friend "Charlie!" she whispered, her arms tightening around her friend slightly, it was as though she suddenly felt a breath of fresh air had been breathed back into her life, the person who had torn people apart was back to piece them back together again.

Bianca stuttered over her words, her arms still holding Charlie slightly, "I'm so sorry about before Charlie I…" she broke off, letting her tears let out a choking sob as she looked from Heath to Charlie, a watery smile plastered on her face "What's going on, how-?"

"After I um di-" Charlie stopped at the word she was about to use. She didn't know what to say anymore. The girls stopped in their embrace as Brax's voice sounded in the room.

"Go on say it." Brax said angrily, Charlie's heart dropping as she recognised the tone in his voice. She knew instantly that he hated referring to her death, she knew he too was struggling.

"Brax." Heath said sternly, sighing as Brax pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head at them.

"No go ahead!" He yelled at Charlie, who flinched slightly at the tone in his voice. "After you died and left us all to pick up the pieces." He shouted bitterly,

"Brax!" Bianca yelled,

"Nah lets just all be thrilled and pretend the past 6 months didn't happen yeah?" he scoffed as Heath and Bianca shook their heads at him, whilst Charlie said nothing, because she couldn't say anything, her being there couldn't instantly take away the pain he'd felt the past 6 months, she couldn't deny that and neither could anyone else. She winced as Brax stormed past them and towards the door, his fist colliding with the wall as he walked out of the house, the plaster board braking at is sheer force.

"Where the hell are you going Iron man?" Heath yelled after him, sighing at Brax's reply.

"Angelo's." Brax called back bluntly. Heath stopped Charlie as she went to move out the door after Brax.

"Leave him, leave him." Heath whispered as he held Charlie back, holding her tiny frame into his as she clung onto the back of his shirt, her eyes wondering down the drive, willing for Brax's retreating figure to turn and come back to her.

* * *

"Three coffees and blueberry muffins please Leah." Heath spoke as they entered the diner, shaking his head and smiling as Charlie and Bianca cooed over the baby. It was now people would find out about Charlie.

Leah chuckled and finished putting the previous customers money in the till "Three, isn't Rocco too young to be drinki-" she stopped as she looked up and her eyes met the woman who was with them "Charlie…" She gasped, her jaw dropping agape at the sight of her former friend.

"Leah darl, this one is for table 3-" Irene stopped and dropped the plates she was carrying, both her and Leah paying no attention as they smashed over the floor, "Oh my gawd father!" Irene screamed, one of her hands flying to her chest and the other to her mouth as she took Charlie in, the colour draining from their cheeks as they took her in.

Charlie jumped as a voice sounded from behind her, "Stone the flaming crows!" Alf yelled, Charlie grinned at the voice, she'd recognise it anywhere, before she turned around she knew who it was, the same pot bellied, thin white haired man carrying the battered sun hat under his arm was behind her, but as she turned she noticed a woman standing with him who she didn't recognise.

Natalie looked from face to face as she stood puzzled at Leah's tears, Irene's white cheeks and Alf's huge smile,

"Hi…I don't think we've met before." Natalie said cautiously frowning as no one spoke, each of them apart from Heath and Bianca stood with their jaws agape.

"That's because you've been playing dead for the past 6 months haven't you Buckton?" Heath teased wisely, a small smile tugging on his lips as Natalie creased her brows and looked at Charlie.

"Buckton?" she asked, the name ringing two bells, one being Ruby and one being Brax's dead girlfriend Charlie.

"And the penny drops." Heath smiled triumphantly as Natalie's eyes widened.

"Hi I'm Charlie." Charlie said softly, smiling timidly as she felt sudden nerves overcome her as everyone's eyes settled between her and the woman before her.

"Natalie." Natalie smiled back, both of them nodding awkwardly, unsure of what to say now they both knew who the other was.

"Awkward." Heath stated in a high-pitched voice, laughing innocently as Bianca nudged him in the chest "What I'm stating fact!" he exclaimed,

"Mum can I go to the beach with-" VJ's voice called as his voice echoed into the diner, his eyes met Charlie's for a fraction of a second before he yelled, "What the hell?"

"VJ language!" Leah scolded.

"Do you want to explain to me why there is a dead woman walking in our diner?" he asked his eyes widening as he continued to stare at Charlie.

"Son." Everyone turned as a slightly balding grey haired man entered the diner, his eyes settling on Heath, Bianca and then lastly Charlie. Heath felt his lungs constrict him as the man he was trying to protect Charlie from stood feet away from her. He felt his hand instantly fall to the small of Charlie's back discreetly as he hand grasped the back hem of his shirt. He threw a swift glance at her, long enough to notice the colour of her cheeks drain slightly as she realised who the man standing before them was. Bianca didn't fail to notice as Heath put a protective hand against the small of Charlie's back and his jaw muscles flexed as he looked at his father intensely, his eyes burning on him and his lips never parting to speak. Charlie felt her breakfast rise into her throat and threaten to spill on the floor as she looked at the boy's father, her eyes never leaving him, in fear of what she knew he was capable of, and despite Heath being here, she suddenly wished she had Brax. She relaxed slightly as she felt Heath's hand on her back but all she wanted to do was run. Yet her legs seemed rooted to the spot, as if she was overcome with a fear that she'd only ever felt once, the fear that the man stood before her could take her future away from her as he pleased. And she had no control of when or how.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Danny spoke as he looked from Heath to Charlie and Charlie to Heath, neither of them saying a word as the stood like statues in the calm, cold breeze drifting through the diner.

"Charlie."

"She came back from the dead." VJ piped up, stopping as Leah swatted his arm gently and shook her head,

"So you're the famous Charlie Buckton my boys' spoke about."

"We never told you anything about her." Heath spat, his hand hitting his fathers away before Charlie even contemplated shaking it back. "You didn't deserve to know anything about her." He spoke through gritted teeth, his body edging forwards slightly as he made sure Charlie was mainly behind him, creating a shield between her and his dad.

"You've changed your tone." Danny spoke in an intimidating tone, Charlie noticed Alf get up and walk past her slightly and stand slightly to the side of Danny and Heath, ready to brake up any scuffle. She felt her heart beat rise even more as Heath stepped forwards once, but he didn't throw a punch, he didn't launch an attack, instead his eyes were hard and his tone was blunt as he spoke.

"I've wised up. That's what I did." He said quietly, but loud enough so Danny could hear him. He watched as his dad eyed up the rest of them before settling on Charlie again, winking at her, making her feel like she wanted to hurl up the contents of her stomach before he turned away from them all and walked back out of the diner. Heath knew he was up to something, Danny wouldn't have just walked away like that, either he had something else in the works or he was shocked to see Buckton still walking, either way Heath couldn't stand to see the sight of him.

* * *

Brax sighed as he climbed out of the car that afternoon, his head still spinning with thoughts of her. He couldn't seem to make sense of anything, he still wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel.

He stopped as he entered the surf club, the local residents all going quiet as he walked in. "John" he nodded politely as he went to walk over the stairs to Angelo's, stopping as Liam climbed down the stairs and halted in front of him.  
"Mate, I didn't expect you to be in today." Liam said slowly, mindlessly playing with the tea towel in his hands.

"Well surprise." Brax said sarcastically, turning back around as the whole place still stood in silence, there wasn't many people in there, mainly staff, but what unnerved Brax was that everyone in there new what he had gone through and only now had they started to care. "Haven't you all got jobs to do?" Brax asked, raising his eyebrows at the staff that each scurried off in a different direction at his words. He should have expected the whole town to catch wind of Charlie's return like wildfire, he should have expected that everyone would have been gossiping about the dead woman walking but it had slipped his mind, he thought he'd have time to think things through in his head before people bombarded him with stares and questions and he thought he'd have the time to look back at the carnage that was his life but apparently life goes on nd we're all expected to move with it, everyone dragging each other through the mud together.

"How're you feeling?" Liam asked, silently cursing himself at the stupidity of the question.

"Brilliant." Brax deadpanned, beginning to move up the stairs, "What about you?" he asked hastily, sighing as Liam followed him up the stairs.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question."

Brax sighed but didn't respond, the pen in his hand tapping against the money books restlessly, he glanced up to see Liam still looking at him. "Are you gonna sit and stare all day or go home."

"We have a restaurant to run."

"Not today we don't." Brax replied snippily and shut the books up. "We're closed. Go home." Brax said and nodded towards the door, he sucked in a breath as Liam spoke again, watching Brax as he still stood behind the bar, pulling a drink out from the bottom shelf.

"Aren't you gonna spend the day with-"

Brax threw the pen across the room in frustration, "God what is it with everyone this morning!" Breax yelled and cut him off, his fist thudding against the bar in frustration as Liam held his hands up innocently. "None of you gave a shit about me last week so why give a shit now?!" Brax shouted, raising his eyebrows as Liam nodded silently, giving up with trying as Brax turned away and began to pour the drink into a shot glass, he sculled it down his throat, the cool liquid stinging but acting as some kind of release to him.

Walking slowly up the stairs of the restaurant, brushing lightly passed Liam who just shook his head at her. She nodded lightly and stood by the entrance, her heart deflating as she watched him down the alcohol in one before slamming the drink on the side in anger. His arms then spread out wide against the bar as he leaned heavily on it, his head dropping into his chest as he sniffed back what she could only assume were tears. She stepped onto the lowered floor and let her heels echo loudly throughout the restaurant, making sure her presence was known.

"We're closed." He grunted as he heard footsteps echo into the restaurant

"I know I can read the sign." Natalie replied, a smile appearing on her face as he finally looked up at her, although it faded quickly again at the look in his eye.

"Well then why are you here?" Brax deadpanned, his eyes piercing her as he glanced up at her for a brief moment before ignoring her again.

"Brax-"

He cut her off quickly, determined not to let her get a word in edgeways. "No don't you start as well." Brax snapped harshly, pointing his finger at her in anger as his gaze burned her to the core. His anger focused on her for a brief minute before he gave up, his wall caving in slightly as she stood before him but said nothing to anger him.

She found her gaze settling on the large dark circles under his eyes and the way even though they were angered; they seemed vacant, empty and lost. She found her eyes trailing down to his lips, his pain-tightened lips that seemed to lose their ability to speak feelings even though she could tell his heart longed to. "You look pretty torn up." She commented, slipping onto the stool in front of him as he swept at the non-existent dust on the bar top. She recognized that motion, how it seemed to control him and keep his mind on everything else but the problems surrounding him.

'Thanks Nat." Brax scoffed, turning away from her to pour himself another drink,

"You know you can talk to me." She tapped her fingers against the side in frustration as he poured the drink down his throat, his eyes closing tightly and his facial muscles twitching at the strength before he relaxed again and shook his head.

Brax laughed, "What and you'd wanna listen." He commented sarcastically, walking up to the opposite side of the bar and leaning into it. Unbeknownst to both of them, they'd failed to recognize a petite figure lingering on the top step, listening to the conversation.

Natalie nodded in reply, her eyes solemn with understanding beyond thought. "If it makes you feel better…yeah," she said. She waited as he clenched his jaw muscles, she knew that trait, he was thinking about whether to let someone in or not, and Natalie knew that even though there was a slightest possibility he would want to, his pride would get in the way. Brax was definitely a hard person to read, but she was getting used to his mannerisms.

"You're not happy." Natalie said calmly, her voice confidant but inviting him to speak.

"Of course I am, I just-" Brax broke off, pursing his lips and stopping his speech, he struggled to find the words to describe his feelings, he struggled to reveal them to anyone, anyone apart from Charlie, except now he found himself scared to tell her how he felt in case she pushed away.

"Go on." Natalie urged him.

"It's like everyone's forgotten the past 6 months." Brax sighed, running his hands through his hair and clasping them together at the back of his neck. The figure on the stairs found her heart tearing at his words.

"Brax everyone has a way of dealing with things like this-"

He cut her off briskly, "So why is my way seen as wrong?" Brax questioned, his eyes looking pointedly at Natalie,

She shook her head, "Brax no one's saying that,"

"No one needs to." Brax replied, his voice raising slightly in frustration. He sighed as Natalie looked at him with her eyebrows raised, willing for him to continue. "Everyone's lost out on 6 months with Charlie, but I've spent 6 months missing her and losing out on my kid that I didn't even know existed," he said. the figure on the stairs slowly sunk to the floor at his revelation, her legs giving way from underneath her, why couldn't he tell her this?

"That's not your fault." Natalie spoke softly,

"Nah it is," Brax said adamantly, his hands sweeping the dust on the bar top "I told myself I'd never be like my father and abandon my kids, but look what I've done." He said, his own heart braking just like Charlie's who stood overhearing every word he spoke, her lungs constricting further and further.

"You didn't know she was-"

"I promised her!" He yelled, his voice twinging with pain that Charlie couldn't bare to hear as she stood back up on the step, her head leaning back against the cold wall that stood between her and the man she wanted to run to. "I promised her I'd always be there to look after her!" he shouted, his nostrils flaring slightly as he hit the wall in frustration and his palms leant against it, his back curling as he leant further into the wall.

"You can't blame yourself." Natalie said, taken aback as Brax shook his head and scoffed,

"I can." He sighed, sinking down onto the floor and leaning against the wall with his hands hanging loosely over his knees. "We would have been in the city by now, engaged, happy." Brax said, both of them failing to notice as Charlie let out a quiet sob from where she was sitting, she swore she felt her heart drop to the floor and into pieces at his revelation, she was so angry with herself at what was her fault.

"Engaged?" Natalie asked.

"I bought a ring for her, but um…" Brax said softly, tilting his head back and up to prevent the tears that willed to spill from his eyes, the pain of losing her felt like only a glimmer compared to the pain of what could have been and what should have been.

"But Brax that could still happen." Natalie said gently, leaning down in front of him.

"Nah it can't." Brax shook his head, Charlie felt her eyes close as a sudden feeling of loss overcame her "A husband is supposed to look after his wife, be there for her, show her he loves her," he said, still oblivious to her figure at the other side of the restaurant, oblivious to the tears spilling from her eyes. "How can I do that when it hurts me to even look at her?" And that was all she could listen to, she fled from the restaurant the fastest she'd ever ran in the past 6 months. She couldn't bare the pain in his voice and she couldn't bare the dull ache residing in her chest. She felt so consumed with an undying love for him, it felt as though it was killing her.

* * *

**Aww poor Charlie! Please no daggers at Brax talking to Natalie, it doesn't mean Chax won't get together!**

**I hope it was worth the wait!**

**Please review, it means a lot to me :)**

**P.S. Lost Then Found will be updated next week :D x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello!**

**Firstly, I am so so so sorry for the lack of updates recently! I just haven't had the time to write as I am busy revising for important exams :'( however I will try to update as often as possible because I don't want to let you guys down, please forgive my horribly long update delays and I hope this chapter is ok, it isn't exactly how I wanted it to be but I hope you enjoy it all the same.**

**Thank you so much for your reviews, PM's, favourites and follows, and please keep them coming as they do keep me motivated to get another chapter out at the moment!**

**Chapter 10-Pour my heart out**

Brax sighed as he walked along the beach front, slowly making his way back home. It was the one place he thought would bring him a sense of clarity. The one place he knew could always give him comfort. But today it brought him nothing. He just felt empty inside. A gaping hole in his heart stood out and threatened to swallow him, he felt consumed by love and loss at the same time.

* * *

Charlie didn't hear the door open as he walked into the house, she didn't hear Ruby who said hello to him as she ran her fingers through Charlie's hair as they huddled together on the sofa. As if by protective instinct though her legs curled up to her chest and she kept a close hold on Ruby's hand. It gave her something to hold onto when everything else seemed broken and unstable. She just stared into the black TV screen that gave her no positivity, just a bleak outlook of what could lie ahead. She failed to register Ruby moving off of the sofa and leaving the room at Brax's nod and she failed to register her head sinking softly into the cool material. The little light that came through the chiffon curtains came with a heat that brought her comfort and warmth as she shivered gently. She felt her heartstrings twang as Brax walked towards her. She moved her hand away as he reached out to hers, her eyes looking anywhere but him as he crouched down in front of her. She knew if she looked at him she'd find herself getting lost amongst the eyes that she loved so much, the ones that could make her weak at the knees, no matter how hard she fought against them. She wiped a tear away quicker than he could attempt to reach it as it fell from her eye. She didn't want his touch on her skin, she didn't want to be reminded of what she'd once had, what she still longed for, but what clearly wasn't hers. His words from Angelo's stung in her mind 'it hurts me to look at her' it played in her mind over and over again like a broken record and she couldn't get it out. Being back here was hurting her more than when she'd stayed away. She ignored as his body tensed when she sat up, stood up and walked away to him, she face the window but he could see her tears tracking her face in the reflection of the glass, it trapped each nerve in his body, he ached with a mixture of pain and longing but he still found no strength to walk towards her. His body was consumed with fear and love. Two stark contrasts that shouldn't mix but do in the most heart wrenching ways he could possibly imagine.

His heart stung as her voice finally spoke. It was flat and dull, consisting of no emotion. "I can't stay here Brax." She said. refusing to look at him as the words left her lips, she found herself catching more tears as they fell, her eyes averting his that reflected in the glass.

"Why not?" Brax asked, noting that her eyes seemed to flicker down as he started to twist the ring on his finger. She'd noticed that motion in the window. He saw her swallow and wipe the remainder of her tears away before turning to him, her eyes pleading with him to hold her but let her go at the same time.

"Because-"

Brax stopped her and cut her off, his "Charlie we've lost so much time-"

Charlie scoffed and shook her head at him, "What and getting together now is going to make up for it?" Her tone shocked him and took him aback, he'd failed to realise that she'd overheard him in Angelo's. "A lot happens in 6 months Brax." Charlie muttered,

Brax let out a deep sigh and placed his hands on his hips, his head tilting towards the ceiling in frustration. "Charlie can you stop talking riddle to me and spell it out."

"I ruined your life I can't do it again." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"You didn't ruin my life-"

"I did Brax!" she gasped, her eyes pleading with him to understand her, "Look at us! We're not the same people we once were." She said, and she was right. The gap between them was larger than it once was the space between their bodies didn't radiate with the warmth it used to, it felt cold and unloving, they'd both been so consumed with making things easier for each other that they'd forgotten how to understand each other in the process.

"Charlie, we are." Brax said adamantly, surprised when Charlie glared at him and shook her head. "Well then tell me what am I missing Charlie!" Brax begged, his eyes beginning to water as a lone tear escaped from the corner of her eye, and he had to restrict himself from running to her and brushing it away.

"I went to Angelo's earlier." Charlie said softly, her palms leaning behind her against the wall, clamming up at the way Brax was looking at her.

"And?" he asked confused,

"And I overheard you and Natalie." Charlie said slowly,

Brax looked at her and clicked his tongue before speaking. "Charlie-"

She shook her head again to stop him speaking, only this time she didn't seem angry with him, Brax couldn't read the expression in her eyes, she just looked lost. "It's not you speaking to her that's made me change my mind it's the fact you couldn't talk to me." She spoke in a small whisper, her voice turning into a high pitch as she finished speaking, her tone making Brax's heart break ad her confession making his words stumble and roll over each other, turning to felt.

"I spoke to Nat because I was scared I would lose you if I told you how I felt," he said honestly,

"Well then why didn't you tell me that!" Charlie said, her voice wasn't bitter, it wasn't angry; it was soft but demanding. She longed for him to open up to her and she longed for him to talk to her like he used to, she wanted to ear his husky voice telling her his problems and she'd gladly listen to him all day, but how could they love when they're afraid?

"Because funnily enough Charlie the one person who I was ever honest with about how I felt lied to me for 6 months so excuse me for not wanting to pour my heart out to you!" Charlie felt the little air she had left escape her lungs in a hurry as her tears fell swiftly down her cheeks in a stream as Brax took a step towards her, the pain he was feeling etched on his face in each strained crease in his skin. He didn't let his eyes meet her, they looked through her, the look on his face was one she now couldn't recognise, Brax had never looked so broken standing in front of the person that made him complete, his tears drained the blood from her cheeks and threatened to tear her to pieces, he didn't know whether he wanted to hold her or run from her, the woman that used to make everything clearer to him had blurred the lines between what he wanted and what he needed. He didn't know where his feelings stood and he didn't know where they stood, how could you possibly understand when "Charlie-"

"If that's how you feel then fine, but you were pretty comfortable with talking to her about this."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe you're better off with her." She said, it took all of her energy and strength she had left to say that to him and the minute it left her lips it was as if she had felt his chest constricting at her words and her lungs tightened as he winced and closed his eyes briefly at her words, finding the power to string his words together was defeating him as he took in the magnitude of her words.

"You know that's not true." Brax spoke softly and she knew he was right, in their hearts he would always belong to her and she would always belong to hers, leaving each other forever wasn't an option when a gaping hole would be left in each others hearts, a hole whose shape could only be filled with each others presence. Being apart wasn't in their nature.

"Isn't it?" "Look at us Brax, look at yourself look at me- no actually don't because it hurts you to look at me!" she whimpered, the rims of her eyes a raw red from the tears that continued, what she was saying made no sense in her heart, but her head didn't allow herself to fall into his arms the way she used to. She felt a longing to have his chest against hers and the heat from his body radiate throughout her but she couldn't forget the feeling of being alone, she couldn't instantly forgive the fact he seemed to trust Natalie more than her and most of all she couldn't forgive herself for causing him so much pain. She could see it in the hot red rims of his eyes in which his pain bore into her. 'We've been in the same house for 24 hours and we've got to this."

"Yeah well that's what happens when you fake your own death!" Brax yelled suddenly, his heart bursting suddenly with emotion he'd bottled up for so long, and all he wanted to do was run from her. He couldn't trust himself to fall in love al over again yet he couldn't trust his heart to let go of her.

"Don't you dare!" Ruby yelled as she hurtled back into the room, having heard all of their argument. She stood next to Charlie, her gaze pointed at Brax as his jaw clenched,

"Do what?" he asked, yelling at her, trying to ignore Charlie flinching at the anger in his voice. "Tell the truth? I begged you not to turn off the machines!" he barked, "I begged you and now look at where we are Rubes!" he said, stepping towards Ruby who was quick to take one step back.

"BRAX JUST STOP!" Charlie screamed, stepping in between Brax and Ruby, her gaze fixated on Brax firmly. Their eyes locked in a mixture of angst and passion and Charlie couldn't help but drop her slightly angered guard at the pain in his eyes, those green eyes could make her heart melt like butter the second she looked into them.

"I've spent everyday for the past 6 months wishing that I could go back just to tell you how I felt, how I still feel." He said softly, his voice crumbling, "Every single day." His tone had a brittle raw quality Charlie couldn't recognize, her absence for the past 6 months meant she couldn't hear his grief speaking, Ruby on the other hand recognised it instantly, and it was in that moment, Ruby realised Brax still felt just as alone as he had done without Charlie as he did now, having her back. He didn't know how to cope with having Charlie back. He was scared she would be gone if he blinked once, he was scared each day he would wake up and he'd be alone with her, and for that reason Ruby knew, he wouldn't let himself move on from her, but he wouldn't allow himself to let his heart grow with his love for Charlie. "Don't tell me I'm better off with somebody else." Brax spoke, a lone tear streaming down his cheeks that Charlie so badly wanted to catch, yet her head knew no was not the time to comfort him as he looked at her with the same distanced look on his face, a photograph of grief. They were all oblivious to a wary Heath standing in the doorway, his eyes darting between the three of them.

"Geez I preferred it when you two were having noisy sex." Heath piped up.

* * *

**11:30 PM**

Brax stilled as he walked towards the front door, his hand lingering on the door knob, he was hesitant to go, but he knew in his head and his heart, they needed a few days space. He needed a few days space. Merely seeing her each day overwhelmed him with a mixture of emotions that his heart struggled to contain, he needed to decide what he wanted; not just for him but for her. He wasn't leaving her for good, he wouldn't call it leaving, he called it space. Space and time for them both to try and work out what they wanted. Chucking the notepad down on the coffee table he sighed. No more summer bay for the next few days, no more seeing Charlie for the next few days, just thinking about what he wanted and thinking about her, whether he really could ever forgive her. Slowly turning the doorknob he took one last look inside the darkened house and flicked the table lamp off that he'd used to see in the pitch-black living room.

* * *

**Next Day**

Heath trudged across the kitchen, wiping his eyes drowsily the next morning before standing impatiently by the sink as he turned the taps and waited for the ice cold water to run into the glass he held in his hands. He grabbed another glass from the cupboard and filled it up for Bianca. As he looked out of the window Natalie caught his eye as she jogged along. Heath never used to understand why Brax used to look out of that window each morning and look at her run past until now, he realised it must have always reminded him of Charlie. She always used to run past them on the beach and give them a nod, and she'd always turn back and look at Brax. Heath turned away from the sink and sighed as he leant against the kitchen counter, why did Charlie and Brax make things so difficult for each other. If he was Brax he wouldn't be able to stay away from her, but then again he'd never been put in their situation and he wasn't Brax, Brax was more sentimental than he was. He'd make up for the time they'd lost and Brax would feel guilty and blame himself for her absence for the past 6 months. And there was the sentimental divide.

Lolling towards the kitchen table Heath slumped on one of the chairs, his eyes glancing towards the digital clock left on the coffee table, 8:05 am. He frowned as he noticed the slightly crinkled paper that lay next to the clock. Heaving himself out of the chair he walked over and picked it up, his face instantly falling as he read the letter.

**Needed some space,**

**Look after Angelo's and look after Charlie**

**Brax.**

Shit this was going to tear Charlie apart. Heath sunk into the couch and held his head in his hands; he wanted to kill Brax. Cursing under his breath his head snapped up as someone's feet padded along the cool wooden kitchen floor, he looked up to see a black flowing maxi dress and he winced silently as he saw it was Charlie, she smiled at him and gestured her thumb back over her shoulder,

"I was gonna make a cuppa do you-" she stopped as Heath sighed and looked back down at the note Brax had left. There was no point in trying to cloud the truth from her. "What?" she asked.

"Brax um…" Heath shook his head and handed the note to her, he felt his heart break for her as she shook her head lightly and chuck the note back onto the table, her feet heading quickly towards the door, "Charlie." Heath called after her as she opened it,

"I might go for a walk." She yelled back, slamming the door shut after her, running after her Heath held her arm back as she walked down the drive,

"Charlie-"

"No Heath." Charlie interjected, glaring at him through harsh eyes. "Please, just let me go for a walk." She pleaded silently, noticing the quiver in her voice Heath nodded reluctantly and released his gentle grasp on her arm, watching her as she walked away and towards the beach. He froze slightly as a pair of hands crept around his waist, only to smile as he realised who it was.

"I'll go after her." Bianca whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek softly and placing the note from the coffee table in Heaths hands before going after Charlie.

* * *

Bianca watched as she saw Charlie sat out on one of the sand dunes, her gaze running out to the deep wide ocean as her hands let the sand run between her finger tips. She debated for a second whether to go and sit next to her or whether to leave her in her own peace of mind. But her feet did the opposite to her minds silent stern telling to leave her alone, she made her way over and stood behind her for a second.

"You know, you can't hide out here all day." Bianca said as she plopped down next to Charlie, "He just needs space Charlie,"

Charlie scoffed and shook her head in disbelief, "He had space for 6 months surely that's enough."

"You both don't get it do you?" Bianca asked, chuckling softly to herself as she looked at a bewildered Charlie,

"Get what B?" Charlie asked, letting out a heavy sigh as she turned to face Bianca and tucked some of her loose strands of hair billowing in the breeze behind her ears.

"You both feel exactly the same way yet you constantly push the other away." Bianca said certainly, smiling weakly at Charlie whose eyes watered slightly, "Come on mum, when he gets back just let him in." Bianca encouraged, nudging Charlie slightly with her arm,

Charlie scoffed, "If he comes back."

"He will, he wouldn't miss this for the world." Bianca spoke softly, her eyes drifting down to Charlie's bump, a small smile resting on her face as she looked up to Charlie who nodded anxiously,

"How about I take your mind off of all of this." Bianca offered, laughing at Charlie's surprised face,

"That depends what you had in mind?" Charlie asked, rolling her eyes as Bianca smirked,

"We should have a get together party." She said excitedly, clapping her hands together,

"A get together?" Charlie said slowly, raising her eyebrows at Bianca and waiting for her to tell her she was joking,

"Yeah, like a welcome home thing!" Bianca squealed,

"I don't know B-" Charlie started,

"Oh come on, everyone has wanted to see you and besides it will be fun!"

"Really?" Charlie asked, attempting to plaster a smile on her face,

"Yes Charlie, really." Bianca said adamantly,

* * *

"You ok?" Heath asked, jumping up from sitting on the floor with Rocco as the girls walked in,

Charlie nodded, "I'm fine, um I think I'm going to have a lie down." She said quietly, smiling weakly at Heath and Bianca before retreating down the corridor.

"Is she fine?" Heath asked as soon as she left the room,

"No." Bianca replied quickly, delicately scratching the back of her head.

"We have a problem." Heath nodded,

"We have more than one problem Heath." Bianca said through gritted teeth, swatting his chest lightly, "I mean do you even know where he is?"

"If I did I'd be there and dragging him back down here." Heath said as he walked towards the fridge and opened a bottle of beer with his teeth before spiting the lid into the bin.

"She's not coping Heath." Bianca said softly as they both slumped down into the sofa, "And I don't think any of this is good for her or the baby." Bianca said, as she looked down at Rocco who was contently wriggling around underneath his baby mobile mat. "Where are you going?" She asked as Heath put his beer down and stood up from the sofa,

"I'm going to see muma Buckton and give her a cuddle," he said, winking at Bianca before walking down the corridor towards Charlie's room.

"Charlie?" Heath frowned as he opened Casey's door and was welcomed to an empty room, the curtains fluttered in the breeze that swept through the room and down the corridor but there was no sign of Charlie. He closed the door and walked down the corridor, stilling as he walked past Brax's room and noticed the door was closed rather than open.

* * *

Charlie stilled as she walked down the corridor, her body stopping almost automatically at the foot of his room. Her gaze drifted towards his shirt that lay on the foot of the bed and his duvet that was all ruffled up, beckoning her to come and lay in it, she looked back down the corridor briefly before creeping inside, her hand softly closing the door with the brass handle, her fingers lingering on the handle for a split second before it clicked shut. She felt her emotions overflowing like a treasure chest as she stood in Brax's room, her heart at the front of her mouth. For the past 6 months she had found herself thinking about him on a daily basis, and he had always been at the forefront of her mind, she may not have been able to remember each day they had spent together, but she could remember the feeling of his lips on hers and the way their bodies moved in synch together, the way his hands interlocked with hers perfectly, like a key to a lock, except this time she thought of him, she didn't know how she should feel, she stood in his room which threw memories at her from all angles, his shirts his bedding, even the way it smelt, it was Brax's cologne that poisoned the air around her and threatened to elope her in tears. And what she found hurt her the most, the thing that tore her heart apart was that their separation was not this time out of fore but out of choice, he'd left her out of his own will and she'd pushed him to the point where he'd stopped trying. Out of comfort she took his shirt in her hands and held it up to her cheeks, her nose and mouth embedded in the material as she took in his warm scent. She felt a long awaited tear slip from her eye as she clung to the shirt and her legs sunk into the bed as she slumped down onto it, her tears only being silenced by the cool cotton shirt of his that she held close to her face, it was like the strength she'd tried and failed to hold onto for the past few days seeped out of her like water from a sponge.

It was only as she lifted her head up from out of Brax's shirt that she noticed the box that stood in the corner of the room, she knitted her brows together as she noticed the labelling 'Memories of Charlie'. Pulling the box towards her she sat down on the edge of the bed and lifted its lid. She couldn't help the small smile that tugged on her lips as she looked at the contents inside and her eyes instantly fell on the photo frame of her and Brax, their cheeks pressed together against what looked like a mountain of pillows and a duvet pulled up around their chests. She couldn't remember where it was taken, she could just tell from the picture that she, they, were both happy, heck she must have been if she'd let him take a picture of her with no make up on at all.

Her breath hitched slightly as she noticed something in the box, baby booties. She felt her heart constrict as she looked down at them, no matter how many times he'd said to her how he'd felt for the past 6 months she hadn't understood him until now. He'd held his pain so tightly that he even kept their wishes for the future in a box and he hadn't forgotten. He hadn't forgotten how much he loved her. Charlie failed to notice as the door clicked open, it was only as she saw the pair of feet at the door that she shot her head up and dropped the booties back into the box, the back of her hand wiping furiously at the rims of her eyes. Her chest clutched onto the past so tightly it left her arms to full to embrace the present at that moment.

"There's no point I've caught you out Buckton." Heath chuckled at her attempt as she pouted at him, although as he looked into her eyes he noticed a deepened sadness in them as she peered up at him before her eyes drifted back down to the box that sat at her feet.

"He loves you." Heath spoke quietly as his own eyes scowered the contents inside the box. Charlie nodded hesitantly before her nod turned into a shake and she let her tears go, she hunched up and dropped her head down into her chest, her hands clinging onto Heath's arm as he held her softly , her expression was pained, and the tear stained look of her cheeks and the crimson red blotches around her eyes was a photograph of sadness Heath would always picture in memory in his mind, her whole demeanor had changed, she'd gone from holding things together to allowing them to fall apart. In the minuet space of time Brax had been gone she had scrumbled and Heath couldn't help but wonder as he held her, whether she'd cried like this before and he couldn't help but worry that if she had, no one would have been there to hold her and to be there for her, he was finally realizing that her resilience to comfort was probably due to the fact she'd been alone for so long that having someone there was harder because the pain of losing them all over again would have been harder than just not having someone there at all. Seeing more tears freely flow down her cheeks as her crying subsided Heath shuffled up the bed, holding Charlie's still tiny frame close to his body, his back leaning up against the headboard as he waited for her tears to stop. Charlie gently shuffled in his arms, holding her body to him, his own eyes glazing over with tears as her tears instantly dampened his shirt, her hands clung onto his shirt and strength giving her the security she needed at that moment, he could see she was weak and he could see that she needed Brax despite her stubbornness.

"I didn't mean to push him away Heath." Charlie whispered, her voice choking quietly, "What if he doesn't come back?" she murmured against his shoulder, her eyes looking at him worriedly as he pulled back and ducked his head to her level.

"He will." Heath reassured her confidently,

"He hates me Heath." Charlie mumbled, her hands wiping her eyes softly,

"That's not true. If he hated you, number one, he wouldn't be hurting so bad and number two he wouldn't have kept this." Heath said, nodding his head down towards all of the memories scattered inside the box, a small piece of Charlie and Brax residing in each of them.

* * *

**Day 3 without Brax**

Charlie sighed as she stood at the end of the bed, her eyes looking down at the clothes that lay in front of her. She wasn't sure what she wanted, for once in her life, she didn't know if the decision she was about to make would be the best one for her, the best on for a future. Staring down at the clothes brought back some of the best moments of her life, moments where she felt alive, but she found her heart sinking as one prominent memory came back to her, one that had unfortunately failed to be wiped out from her mind and the clothing that lay in front of her suddenly seemed to gape with a huge hole of blood and she found her eyes not being able to tear herself away as the pain hit her all over again. Her head snapped up as the door opened and closed, she got her hopes up instantly, thinking it was Brax, until the voice sounded through the house,

"Mum!" Ruby called down the hallway, bouncing into the room with a smile on her face, "April and I were going to go to the diner for lunch…" Ruby stopped and her smile fell at the outfit on the bed.

"What- what is that doing out Mum?" Ruby said, her voice quivering slightly as she pointed at the clothes. It seemed stupid that just a piece of cloth could bring tears into her eyes but it did.

"I was just sorting some stuff out." Charlie answered, turning away from Ruby and lowering her gaze back down to the bed. She didn't want Ruby to ask any more questions but she knew that she would.

"What a keep pile and a bin pile, because you know that can go on the bin pile right?" Ruby said with a timid smile on her face, her heart beat racing as Charlie still looked at the outfit and said nothing. It was then she knew what Charlie meant by 'sorting stuff out.'

"Please don't tell me you're thinking of going back." Ruby whispered, her voice choking at the end of her sentence and her eyes not willing to hold any tears in as Charlie didn't reply, "You are aren't you." Ruby spoke knowingly, her voice shaking as she clasped her hands over her mouth when Charlie nodded in reply. She felt all of the air leave her lungs at the mere prospect of it.

"You can't be serious, Mum, you can't do that." Ruby's voice shook in horror as Charlie walked towards her and placed her palms on her shoulders.

"Ruby please just try to understand-"

"Understand what mum!" Ruby yelled, wrenching her hands off of her. Charlie felt suddenly deflated at the loss of contact, her hands dropped to her sides limply, feeling lifeless. "Don't tell me to understand!" she screamed, tears flowing in a thin sheen down her cheeks, "I can't believe you would be so selfish." She spoke quietly, crossing her arms protectively across her chest as she searched Charlie's face in some desperate plea for answers,

"Ruby! Don't talk to me like that, this is my choice." Charlie raised her voice and her eyes widened,

"You've don't even have the decency to think about me or Brax in this do you?" she said, her voice twinging with hurt as Charlie closed her eyes tightly at the mention of his name

"Brax isn't here Ruby-"

"No but I am!" Ruby screeched, her eyes piercing through her mothers, "I am here and that job ruined our lives!" Her voice broke into pieces as she spoke, her lungs gasping for air as tears of sadness flowed freely down her reddened cheeks.

"Ruby just here me out-" Charlie begged reaching her hand out desperately for Ruby's,

"No Mum! No!" Ruby yelled and backed away, her body shaking with fear as she spoke, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "You've taken 2 bullets, who's to say there won't be another one…none of us predicted what would happen that day, you can't say that won't happen again." Ruby pleaded, darting her eyes up to meet Charlie's and hoping there would be some flicker of recognition of understanding there.

"Ruby you don't know that," Charlie spoke quietly, flinching as Ruby laughed sarcastically and scoffed at Charlie's comment.

"Exactly we don't know!" Ruby yelled, "But what I do know is, your job was to blame." She screamed, her body leaning forwards slightly in anger as she pointed her finger towards Charlie.

"No Ruby, I was with Brax that's why." Charlie spoke quietly, trying remain calm.

"You would have been safe if you weren't a cop!" Ruby spoke knowingly, her voice quietening slightly as tears replaced the previous anguish in hr voice "How about that one Charlie! None of this would have happened if it wasn't for that!" she cried, pointing at the police uniform on the bed. "So you go ahead and work for the force Charlie, but I sure as hell, won't forgive you for going back."

Charlie stood in the room, her heart being pushed into her airways at her daughters' admission. It wasn't what Ruby had said about her job that hurt her the most. It was more the fact that the conversation started off with her calling her mum, and ended with Ruby calling her Charlie. And Charlie wasn't sure how she was supposed to take that, it was like the air had left her lungs and her heart had ran cold.

She jumped as a familiar voice sounded from the doorway and a deep sigh left the base of his throat. "You feeling ok?" Heath asked.

"Yep." Charlie replied curtly, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth to stop her tears from falling.

Heath sighed and walked towards her until he was standing opposite her, "Charlie, you can talk to me." He suggested, cocking an eyebrow up at her.

She nodded timidly. "I know I can Heath."

"She doesn't mean it." he said reassuringly, jilting his head back out of the doorway where Ruby had exited a few minutes prior.

Charlie let out an exhausted laugh and tilted her head back up to the ceiling. "She seems pretty sure to me." She said, bringing her eyes back down to meet Heaths. She shook her head at him and let a tear fall as Heath held out his arms to her, letting her fall into them.

"You will come out of this Buckton." He said, squeezing her gently, he pulled back as he noticed her freeze slightly in his arms "What?" he asked as he saw a small smile flicker across her face, yet she didn't seem to be looking at him, she was remembering a moment her and Brax had, Heath's words had brought a memory hurtling towards her,

_The room they were in was dark with logs as walls and cottage quaint furniture throughout, the air was filled with a mixture of angst and passion darting between them as they stood opposite each other,_

"_We will come out of this Charlie." Brax said softly, his head tilting towards her as his large hand enveloped hers, his thumb gently caressing the top of her hand before tugging her towards him softly, "And no matter what you and me should be together." He said, a smile adorning his cheeks as Charlie bit her lip before allowing herself to fall into his arms, their lips brushing past each other,_

"_I don't hate anything about us and I love you." _

His words echoed in her head as she got torn back to reality, she shook her head at Heath, "Nothing I'm-I'm fine." She lied, almost letting out a sigh of relief as Heath nodded and squeezed her hands before leaving her standing alone.

* * *

**Day 4 Without Brax**

**9 am**

Ruby sighed as she looked over at Charlie, who had the cereal box in her hand and a bowl on the side, but couldn't pour it. She'd lost her appetite. "I'm sorry for what I said to you. I was out of line and you didn't deserve it." Ruby spoke, her eyes following Charlie as she eased herself into the couch, basically collapsing in it.

Charlie nodded and rubbed her palms over her tired eyes before tilting her head back onto the arm of the sofa. "You were right though weren't you?" She said smiling faintly over at Ruby who stood from her chair and looked over at her mum. She looked broken, everyday since she had come back to the bay, she looked more and more torn apart.

"I'm always right." She giggled as she knelt down in front of Charlie, tucking some limp strands of hair behind her ears. "But I won't stop you from going back if you want to." She offered up, watching as Charlie slowly opened her eyes and turned towards her.

"I don't want to." Charlie admitted. "I always use it as something to distract me from everything else, and now I don't have that I guess I'm just struggling with all of the problems there are." Charlie said weakly, her hands picking at the cushions aimlessly, she frowned as she looked back up at Ruby who smiled at her hands playing with the cushion. "What?" Charlie asked.

"Brax does that, it's funny you've both picked up little mannerisms from each other," Ruby chuckled, her smile falling as Charlie nodded silently and pushed the cushion over to the opposite side of the couch, although her eyes still trained on it.

Charlie giggled slightly as she thought about him, "He does the weirdest of things, he thinks no one notices but he does, like when he leans back with his hands on a surface and his head drops to his chest, that's when he composes himself to stop himself telling someone how he feels." She nodded, smiling faintly at Rubes who was listening intently, silently willing Brax to walk back through the door. "And the twisting the ring on his finger-that's out of nerves or when he's upset." Charlie said, earning a nod and a chuckle from Ruby, "And then he'll pinch the bridge of his nose when he's annoyed or frustrated" Charlie continued, rolling her eyes as Ruby laughed more at the sheer amount she knew about all things Brax.

"And sweeping the table?" Ruby asked, throwing Charlie a mock accusing look for forgetting that one,

Charlie raised her eyebrows, "What getting rid of the imaginary dust? That's to distract himself from everything going on around him that he doesn't want to think about." She said, her eyes darting downwards towards her bump, her mind instinctively wondering if he was doing that now, whether he was thinking about her or whether he was trying to forget her. Ruby noticed as Charlie's eyes welled up and reached her hand out to place it over her mums.

"You need to stop beating yourself up about this mum, it's stressing you out." She said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Charlie shook her head and bit her lip as her cheeks darkened and a tear ran down her cheek slowly. "How can I stop when I have no idea how I feel?" she asked, her voice quivering as she spoke, almost as if she was pleading for Ruby to give her an answer that made sense.

"Exactly, you don't know so stop worrying until you do." Ruby said softly, leaning forward and hugging her mum, letting Charlie bury her head in her shoulder and letting her soft tears dampen her shoulder.

**I know that was sad but have no fear I do have good things in store, (And of course Brax isn't gone for good!). I hope this Chapter didn't seem too broken up, I just didn't want to spend ages on each day and have loads of Chapters with no Brax in the story,**

**Please review! :D**

**I'll try not to take so long updating next time! (And I'll try and update Lost then Found soon!) x**


	12. Chapter 12

**Woah! Long time no Chapter huh?**

**Apologies my lovely readers, I have been incredibly busy with exams etc, but thank you so much for all of your support! I hope this makes up for my lack of writing lately!**

**Enjoy :D x**

**Chapter 12-Close your eyes.**

* * *

**10AM**

Heath whistled as he wondered through the house, his feet instantly coming to a stop almost instinctively at the fridge. He ducked his head inside, pulling out a half eaten pizza left over from yesterday evening when he bundled the girls on the sofa and allowed them to make him watch Rom-coms such as Friends With Benefits, not that he was complaining, Mila Kunis was a sight he reveled in and Charlie's increasing pregnancy hormones meant they had the biggest stacks of food laid out in front of them including every flavour of Ben and Jerry's ice cream you could ever set your eyes upon.

He came to a halt as he turned around and went to walk to the couch, his feet suddenly stopping as the front door clicked open and Brax walked in, slinking his rucksack off of his shoulder and chucking his keys to the coffee table which was still covered in remnants of pop corn from yesterdays movie night. Heath looked at Bra wide eyed as he said nothing but merely nodded politely and walked towards the fridge himself to grab a beer.

Heath stepped into Brax's way as his brother approached him, his hands folded across his chest and his muscles bulging underneath his ribbed vest. He creased his eyebrows as Brax said nothing but merely avoided looking at him. Deciding to not beat around the bush any longer Heath grabbed a fist of Brax's shirt and collided his hand swiftly into Brax's face, ignoring his brothers hand cradling his nose after Heath's retreat. "What the hell!" Bax yelled, wiping his hand past his nose and trying to ignore the blood on his knuckles that drained down from his nose.

"So you decided to rack up did you?" Heath shouted, his arms outstretched either side of him as he raised his eyebrows expectantly at Brax who shook his head in return.

"I don't have to explain myself to you mate." Brax replied smartly, walking past Heath towards the sink, only to be stopped by Heath's hand pushing him back against his chest until they were face to face.

"You do when you leave Charlie, pregnant, on her own here, with me. So yeah, you do need to explain yourself to me _mate_." Heath spat through gritted teeth, the frown on his face deepened as Brax failed to reply to his cocky remark.

"Where's Charlie?" Brax asked, looking at Heath expectantly

"Ruby and Bianca dragged her up to the city for the day." Heath replied coldly, his face gaining no expression as he looked at the brother he could barely recognize any longer.

"They what?" Brax asked again; Heath scoffed and walked past him, making sure his shoulder crashed into Brax's on his way past.

"Heath don't just walk out."

Heath stopped and turned as he reached the door and turned back to his brother, a hard stare set firmly upon his face as his jaw clenched under Brax's gaze. "Why not? That's what you did." He quipped smartly, his hand reaching towards the door handle.

"HEATH!" Brax yelled as Heath turned the handle, only to be shocked as Heath let the door go and slammed the wall in front of him instead, his hand denting the plaster board as he turned back to Brax, his nostrils flared and his eyes piercing onto him.

"No, you don't get to lecture me. You left her. And you left the rest of us to pick up the pieces." Heath yelled, shoving his finger out and pointing it at Brax sternly.

Brax pinched the bridge of his nose before clasping his hands together behind his head. "I needed some time out-"

"News Flash Brax, you don't get time out when your pregnant ex girlfriend has a hit man out for her!" Heath boomed, his breathing heavy as he tried to control his anger towards his older brother. He stepped back to try and restrain himself from punching him again. "You suck it up and you stick with her." Heath said calmly as he turned back towards the front door.

"I'm sorry." Brax called, tilting his eyes up as Heath nodded and gritted his teeth together.

"It's not me you should be apologizing to." Heath replied simply before leaving the house and letting the door slam in the wind.

* * *

**4 HOURS LATER**

**CHARLIE POV**

I laughed as Ruby cracked another joke as we walked up to the house in the afternoon sun from our shopping trip, Bianca rooting through her bag for her key before she triumphantly found it in her handbag and shuffled it through the lock. I smiled gratefully as Rubes took my bags from me, not wanting me to carry anything to heavy for too long, quite frankly I was happy for the break, I could feel my arms slowly getting weaker and weaker even though there was only light weight clothing and cute baby grows in the bags. I sighed as we walked in before beginning to walk over to the sofa, however I instantly stopped as a figure appeared from the kitchen

"Brax" I murmured, my lungs constricting at the sight of him; I let out a long breath I hadn't known I'd been holding, I chocked on my words as he stood before me, and harbored mixed feelings towards him, concealing them tightly as my poker face again regained its expressionless and empty look. I knew he was watching me intently as my eyes darted around the room trying to look anywhere but him. I knew he could see the lone tear making its way down her cheek, and he walked forwards, wanting to catch it, but out of instinct I stepped back, rather stumbled back. My lips trembled as I went to speak but found myself lost for words. Silence filled the air as neither of us moved nor spoke, Bianca cleared her throat slightly, but still neither of us were hurtled back to reality, the tension was inescapable and toxic.

I felt my heart clench and tighten as Brax's eyes welled and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Part of my body longer to run up to him, and part of me felt no pity for him.I found the battle between my inner demons overwhelming me, and his eyes pierced through me like a dagger in my chest. I couldn't stand there in the same room as him, watching him wallow in pity because of his own mistakes, and my body moved in autopilot as I grabbed Ruby's car keys from the lamp side table by the door and ran out of the room. No sooner was I out of the door than his voice echoed behind me and his feet padded after me. "Charlie, Charlie wait!" I felt the little air I had left escape my lungs and choke me. The look on his face as I turned to face him by the car was one I hated with undying passion, and there it was staring right back at me and making my cheeks burn in anger towards him.

Turning back to the car I forced my shaking hand onto the door handle, only to flinch as Brax slammed the car door back closed and his hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to him and wrenched my arm away from him, "Get off me!" I spat through gritted teeth, trying not to let my eyes spill the tears that so badly wanted to escape. I pulled back again as Brax reached forwards one last time, "GET OFF!" I screeched. My bottom lip trembling as he looked at me, my heart splitting in two paths. I didn't recognize that look from him, he looked broken, he looked just as lost as I was. His eyes pleaded with me to hear him out but my head couldn't handle him. The sight of him back in front of me made my breath hitch but it also brought a raw anger rippling to the surface of my skin, urging me to run from him. "You left Brax- things got tough and you left." I whispered croakily, my voice hiccupping as a lone tear left my cheeks.

I creased my eyebrows as he spoke, his voice thick and rugged, he croaked on his words. He sounded like he was going to break. "To clear my head-"

"To make yourself feel better." I corrected. Ignoring the throbbing of my heart when a lone tear made a pathway down his cheek. It paralysed me seeing him broken, it was our emotions in their rawest and form that stripped me of feeling attached to him. I inhaled sharply a few minutes later as he said nothing but stood twisting the ring on his finger in agitation "We've spent 6 months apart and yet you still up and leave when things get tough!" I yelled, raising my eyebrows at him to urge on a response.

"Charlie you have to understand how hard this is for m-"

I laughed and cut him off, "You _still_ don't get it do you!" I stammered in disbelief, shaking my head at him and trying to ignore the pained expression on his face that I was sure mirrored mine. "We _both_ spent 6 months apart from each other Brax not just _you_! So don't try and tell me that I don't know how you feel!"

He nodded slowly before bringing his eyes up to meet mine, the sadness in them an overwhelming haunting photograph of pain. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head at him and wiped the tears on my cheeks with the back of my hand. "You left me here on my own, and apparently I'm just supposed to deal with that." I choked "What does that say about the way you see me?" I said, my voice quivering. I averted his gaze as he spoke;

"Charlie I didn't mean to make you feel-"

"Alone, scared?" I interrupted "I'm in a town where every good part of my life once was- including you. And now I wish I'd left it that way." I murmured, clicking open the car door and sliding in.

"Charlie you don't mean that." Brax whispered, his hands leaning on the roof of the car, I shook my head and closed the car door, pulling the seatbelt over my stomach and trying to avert his desperate gaze. I clicked the car door locks shut as Brax went to open the door, ignoring the hurt and desperate look on his face, willing me to get back out of the car.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore Brax so please just go away." I said tiringly.

"No. Charlie you can't do this on your own."

"I can. I've done it for 6 months I can do it again." I winced and closed my eyes briefly at my words as I heard his sharp intake of breath, and I knew my words had hurt him, but I refused my hearts pleads to turn back to face him. He held his hand on the door handle, starting the ignition took more strength than he ever thought he had, it took more strength than the past 6 months had needed, I couldn't ignore the dull ache throbbing in my chest at the pain of living another day without him.

"I'll be back later." I whispered, glancing up to his sad eyes before pulling out of the driveway.

* * *

**2 HOURS LATER**

**REEFTON LAKES**

**3RD PERSON POV**

Dragging her heavy head along the lake front Charlie let out a deep sigh as she let the warm breeze in the heat of the day greet her she placed herself down upon the huge log that lay near the crystal blue waters edge. Charlie ignored the stinging in her eyes as they watered beneath the strain of attempting not to cry. She felt so lost without Brax. Her eyes met the calmness of the water but it failed to bring any sort of comfort to her. Either she'd lost the one thing that could find her comfort or she had become so lost she couldn't possibly be found anymore by the serenity of the water. She tried and failed miserably to get Brax's image out of her mind. His eyes were the eyes she remembered but something seemed different about them, they burned on her with deep longing and desire when she had seen him and they ripped her soul to shreds. She couldn't figure out why she had brought herself here and she couldn't figure out what made her feel like this place wherever it was would give her answers but part of her mind was treating it as an involuntary convulsion of remembrance. She remembered being broken here once, she couldn't remember what from. And now she was here again and unbeknownst to her mind she was here for the same reason. Brax.

Examining the calm lake she begged and longed for it to bring her comfort but she was met by an overwhelming feeling of loss, the one place she swore could accept her demons and grace her presence failed to acknowledge her. She knew all she wanted was for Brax to tell her he loved her and that he needed her. In her head she knew that was wrong and that she shouldn't allow him her minds thoughts. But in her heart she knew she couldn't live without him. She couldn't live with his absence in her life and she couldn't bare the thought of him beginning to live a life without her in it. She knew them being apart was wrong. She just wasn't sure whether she could trust her heart. Charlie's cupped her cheeks and let a tear brush down her cheek as she felt that familiar warm and comforting breeze brush past her skin leaving a lingering feeling of comfort on it.

Charlie's head jolted round as she heard a faint snap of a twig behind her, jumping off of the log she let out a deep sigh of relief as she saw it was only Brax.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed, not knowing how he could've possibly found her. She folded her arms protectively across her chest. She glanced up and down his body, her eyes taking him in as he walked towards her and sat down on the log she had been sitting on.

"I could ask you the same question." He shrugged, his eyes lingering against hers, and as they did he could see she was as consumed in pain and hurt as he was. He could see their situation was tearing her apart and the pain in her eyes was something he swore he would never cause again and as he looked at her he felt his body shiver with regret and tremor with a pain that made his nerve ends twinge with guilt.

"Thinking." Charlie replied shortly, looking back out into the ocean. "Some crazy force told me to come here and I did…and now I'm here, I have no idea why." She said softly, a lone tear tracking down her cheeks as she tore her gaze from the water and looked at Brax whose eyes looked on at her knowingly.

Seeing the confusion on her face Brax sighed and swept his hands over his jeans, swiping at the imaginary dust that settled on them "You used to come here sometimes." He said softly, watching as she frowned at him and dropped her arms from her chest. She'd let down her protective guard and he instantly felt his hands cease to sweat as much as they were with their previous nervousness.

"I did?" Charlie asked, eyeing him for a second before she bit her lip and nodded her head sadly, "With you." She whispered, recognizing the look in his eyes and registering the slight nodding of his head.

"Did we have a good time here?" she asked timidly, holding her hand up to her lips in a bid to try and stop the scream that wanted to erupt in her throat in a mixture of agony of the memories she failed to keep in her mind and the pain her heart felt in his presence. Charlie felt her eyes tear up as Brax nodded once more but refused to make eye contact with her. They were breaking each other down and wearing their hearts out but they both knew they had to drop down the barriers they'd made across them. They had to let each other in somehow and neither of them could take blaming each other anymore. They were both sick of living without each other.

"I'm sorry." Charlie said in haughty whisper, her voice cracking under the strain her tightened chest was under.

Brax frowned and creased his eyebrows at her, "For what?" he asked softly, slowly standing to his feet and outstretching his hands to take hers that were holding their own over her opposite shoulders. Taking them in his he clasped them tightly, tugging her gently towards him he tilted his head to the side to catch her gaze before lifting her chin wit the pad of his thumb. "Hey, hey Charlie, you don't need to cry." He whispered, looking at her expectantly, and hoping for a nod of agreement. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she shook her head and let out a gasp of air in pain. Pulling her towards him he slowly wrapped his arms around her, encasing her in his warmth as she melted in his arms, her tears dampening his cotton shirt and seeping into his skin.

"I want to remember, I want to remember everything so bad but I-" her voice choked as she spoke and she pulled away from Brax, her eyes closing briefly as she tried to retain a normal breathing pattern. "Every time I try to think I get nothing." She whispered softly, pressing her forehead against his shoulder and chuckling as he laughed softly at her comment.

"You brought that upon yourself." Brax murmured in her ear with a slight chuckle. He grinned as he felt Charlie's hands hit his shoulder blades playfully as she snuggled into him more.

"I know what we had was special and I- I just want to remember." Charlie murmured against Brax's shoulder, her body relaxing more against him as his hands rubbed up and down her back soothingly.

"Is there anything you do remember?" Brax asked gently, his lips gently kissing her hairline as he closed his eyes and begged for a small recognition on her behalf of what they once had.

She swallowed and pulled back, nodding her head shakily. Her eyelashes were wet from her tears and her cheeks her pink from the crying but Brax could still see every inch of her as beautiful, he looked at her in that moment and saw the photograph of an epitome of beauty. "I remember you telling me that…that you loved me." She said shyly, her eyes averting his, although she knew he had closed his eyes in agony of that memory and she heard the breath that he had sucked in harshly to his lungs. "And I remember telling you the same thing." She choked out, raising her head to meet his and dipping it round to catch his gaze which was glazed with tears and bound towards the lake "I'm sorry-" she whispered as he looked at her painfully. His eyes bearing that of a man overcome with grief for a love he longed to get back.

Brax shook his head and dropped his hands to her waist, holding her small hand in his own. "Hey it's ok…you remember the most important thing."

Charlie nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. She was staring at the man she would always love and she knew that. "All I know is that no one ever made me feel the way you made me feel." She knew her words held truth to them, she knew they were weighted by the look on his face and the relief she felt at telling him that.

Brax shot his eyes up to her at her admission his heart constricting so tight that it hurt him to breath "I reckon that works both ways aye?" he whispered, bringing his hand up to her cheek and slowly wiping the tear away that lingered painfully on her cheek.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" Charlie whispered, raising her hand up to his lower arm as his hand still lingered on her cheek. She saw his muscles tense under her touch for a split second before he relaxed completely.

Brax dropped his hand from her cheek to her waist, pulling her body towards his own, their bump pressed snugly but safely between them. "You always used to come out here when things were getting tough, you'd used to sit here and think." He chuckled at his own thoughts as he thought back to the time her and Bianca had come here and he and Heath had followed them, much to Charlie's anger. "I didn't know what was going on in that head of yours but it seemed to work." He chuckled, his eyes brightening as a smile lit up on her face and she rolled her eyes at his cheeky comment.

"Did you come out here with me?" Charlie asked, holding her arms up around his shoulder blades and settling comfortably in his arms, content in his grasp.

"Sometimes."

Charlie nodded and bit her lip, she had remembered something, and by coming here she knew it meant something to her, to them. And she realized it brought her comfort because she'd shared it with Brax. It was their place, the place where the memories she couldn't yet remember laid waiting for her to discover them. Charlie frowned as Brax broke away from her and took his shirt off over his head. "Brax what are you doing?" Charlie asked, stepping away from him.

Brax chuckled and shook his head, holding his hand out to her and waiting for her to put it in his. "What's your favourite movie?" he asked, smiling as Charlie creased her brow, looking even more confused.

"What's that got to do with you taking your shirt off?" she asked, looking at his still outstretched hand and timidly placing her own in his.

"When you watch your favourite movie, you wish you could watch it over and over again, just so that you could experience it each time without knowing what would happen."

"Right…" Charlie said slowly, not getting where he was going with this.

"So in a sense, you would be re living it." he concluded, chuckling at the confused look on her face. "We made a deal."

"We did?" Charlie questioned in surprise.

Brax nodded "Every time we came up here together, we would go swimming together in that lake." He said truthfully, pointing towards the lake before looking back to her.

"And why would we do that?" Charlie asked hesitantly.

Brax chuckled and took a step towards her, "Because number one: you can experience it again and number 2: we were told the water gave good luck and you being the sentimental person you are-"

"Decided we had to go in it." Charlie broke him off, speaking knowingly, rolling her eyes as Brax chuckled on the unsure look on her face.

"Come on." He said, tugging her towards him.

"Brax-" Charlie whispered, looking towards the lake and sighing, she looked back at him before shaking her head and laughing, burying her head into the crook of his neck, trying to ignore the longing to go out there with him.

"I have blankets in the car to dry us off." He whispered sneakily, laughing as she giggled, her warm breath tickling down his neck.

"Brax I don't know-" Charlie whispered, trying not to let a smile settle on her face as Brax's hands dropped to the small of her back and slowly massaged it, as if he instinctively knew she had a small ache down her back. She sucked in a breath at the feeling of his hands like that on her skin before smiling gently and relaxing against his body.

"It sounds crazy but it might jog your memory." Brax encouraged, smiling as she rolled her eyes at him, "And this was your crazy idea to do this, every time we came out here." He said. Charlie sighed before reluctantly looking around them to make sure they were alone before pulling her fuchsia summer dress up over her head. Brax swallowed slightly as he instantly fought to resist the urge to step into her arms and kiss her. She looked gorgeous; her skin was glowing, her deep tan glistening in the sunlight. She blushed under his gaze her cheeks turning crimson in colour as my eyes once again got lost in her figure again.

"Is this just an excuse to get me in my underwear." Charlie raised her eyebrows at him, noticing him looking at her up and down in nothing but her skimpy lace underwear.

"I'd never take advantage like that." Brax said, holding his hands up and jumping back as Charlie went to swat his chest playfully.

"Of course not." She drooled sarcastically.

Brax scoffed and pulled her towards him, his skin instantly erupting into goose bumps underneath her bodies touch. "I don't know what you're implying Miss. Buckton, but I'm a man of many morals." Brax whispered huskily in her ear.

"Is that right Mr. Braxton?" Charlie said back, raising her eyebrows.

"Of course it is." Brax said cheekily before quickly scooping her up into his arms and carrying her towards the water.

"Brax put me down!" Charlie squealed, hitting his chest as she giggled in his arms. "What are you doing!" She screamed, splashing him as he put her down gently into the water. She laughed and squealed as she waded away from him whilst he chased her, determined to splash her back "Brax!" she laughed as he held her from behind, holding her back gently against his body, "Stop you're tickling me!"

"What was that?" Brax asked, pretending not to hear her as she laughed in his arms.

"Brax!" Charlie gasped, her laughter failing to cease as his hands tickled down her body. "This is not funny!" She yelled, still laughing.

"You laughing says otherwise." Brax replied sneakily, both of them enjoying each others company, and just loving being able to be themselves around each other.

* * *

**30 MINUTES LATER**

"You ok?" Brax asked as they waded out from the water.

"I'm freezing." Charlie chattered through her teeth, raising her eyebrows as Brax seemed unfazed by the cold air, she smiled gratefully as he ran off to the car, coming back within the minute and giving her all but one blanket, the last one he used to wrap around himself. His head shot up as she spoke her next words, "My hands are so cold!" she whispered, clasping them together near to her lips, he recognized those words on countless occasions when they had gone swimming before, she may not remember ever saying it but he did. He stepped towards her softly before taking her hands in his like he used she flinched slightly at his touch before relaxing at his warmth and staring down at their hands for a minute, her thumb gently stroking his. He closed his eyes at her touch, savouring it for a second before bringing her hands to his lips and kissing them softly, instantly warming them at his soft touch. She looked up at him and he could already see the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. It was in that moment Brax realized what had been holding him back; he was scared of falling for her ten times over again only to have her ripped away from his arms. But in that moment when she looked into his eyes, he knew the pain of letting their past go, was only a shadow when he thought about not being able to be with her again for the rest of his life.

"You used to say that." Brax whispered softly.

"You remember everything I said?" she whispered softly, playing with the hem on his board shorts, not wanting to go back to talking about their time apart.

"It used to help me realize that you weren't just a dream or something…it reminded me of what we had." He said softly, his eyes gazing down at her and waiting for her to reply.

She held her eyes up to his at his words, feeling them water instantly, no matter how hard she tried to restrain herself it was like when she was around him, the little strength she had would seep out of her skin like water from a sponge. She tilted her head downwards, in a bid to avoid his eyes burning through her any longer. She stilled as she felt Brax's arms rest on her hips softly, inviting her into his embrace. Her tears seemed to reside at his comforting touch and a small smile rose on her lips as she felt the baby kicking at Brax's hands on her stomach. She felt slightly scared of the touch she knew so well but more at peace than she'd ever felt in the past 6 months. She leant into his chest, her head resting against his collarbone as the water droplets between them evaporated in the heated shield of the blankets. Charlie sucked in a deep breath as Brax dipped his head slightly to her neck, his hand softly brushing her hair to one side as he planted a string of soft kisses up her neck. Her body felt on fire but goose bumps rose on her skin at his feathery touch and her head rolled to one side, responding to her need for him. She relished the feeling of his hands on her body as he kissed her neck softly, her hands reached up to entangle themselves in his short damp hair.

"Brax stop…" Charlie moaned half heartedly, her body simply responding to the opposite way her head was trying to tell her as her hands dropped to her neck timidly, her fingers running along his skin making him shiver with the intensity of a thousand memories coming back to him, they felt powerless against each other, too weak to stop, their bodies being familiar but new territory to each other. Charlie drew in a deep breath and resisted the urge to moan as his lips sucked against his skin, she dipped her head so it was in the way of his path, instantly regretting the small movement as his lips brushed passed hers, his breathing shallow and hot on her skin, sending ripples of heat wavering throughout her body. He smiled at her, his dimples on display as she slowly brought her hands down to palm his chest; the twinkle in her eyes was as if she was slowly recognizing the touch of his skin beneath hers. He cupped her cheek with his hand, tilting her head up gently to his level and his other hand softly caressed her hip, pulling her as close to him as their little bump would allow. Brax pecked her lips softly before pulling back slightly, leaving his lips lingering centimeters from hers and waiting to see how she would respond, as if he were waiting for her to tell him to get off. She felt a heat burning in the centre of her chest as his lips touched hers, it was only then she could remember how good they felt, how much she loved everything about him. Before he moved again she brought her lips up to his, catching them slightly and relaxing into his body more as he pulled back in for more. Shock wave rippling down their cores and the water droplets that remained on their skin evaporating in the heat in the air around them as they lost each other in their embrace. Charlie opened her mouth wider wanting to taste more of him as Brax hands embedded themselves in her hair. She let him slip his tongue into her mouth, moaning against his lips as he met mine with his, she was struggling to get enough of him, the way he felt, his taste, it felt so good. She couldn't help but moan softly as he kissed her with such a passion that the air in her lungs left in an instant. She felt his hand hold on softly to the back of her neck, making her arch upwards and inwards to his body. Their lips holding onto each other's tightly, yet Brax still remained gentle with her, as if he was worried she would shatter into a million pieces if he tightened his grip. Charlie groaned as his hand left the back of her neck and ran down the ripples of her spine, gently caressing her skin before settling on her bra strap, she reluctantly pulled away abruptly and looked at him through suddenly scared eyes.

She sucked in a breath and took a step back away from him, "Brax we can't-"

"I'm sorry Charlie," Brax whispered softly, moving his hands back down to her hips.

"I'm not ready yet." She whispered softly, leaning her forehead against his, "And to be honest I don't think you are either."

"Charlie I know what I want." Brax whispered gently, his forehead leaning against hers as he fought the overwhelming urge to kiss her again.

"I'm not saying you don't but a few days ago you took off when things got tough." She said, tilting his head back towards her as her fingers gently touched his chin and her eyes caught his gaze."If we're going to do this I want it to be when we're both in the right head space." She said softly, leaning forward and claiming his lips with her own, her hand gently brushing over his jaw line as he responded to her kiss, his arms wrapping around her tightly.

"I'm sorry."

Charlie shook her head, "You don't have to be sorry Brax."

"Not for kissing you." Brax chuckled, laughing as she swatted him gently. "For taking off for the week." He said sincerely, his hands rubbing up and down the sides of her body.

"Why did you?"

"I was scared." Brax admitted quietly, smiling slightly before biting his lip, his fingers twisted the ring on his index finger before Charlie stopped him and held onto his hands with her own, noticing Brax's small smile at her actions. She couldn't remember all of him but she knew him so well, too well. "I guess I'd finally accepted that we were gone and now…I just wish I'd never let you go in the first place." He whispered, his lips pressing against her forehead softly before he pulled back, his eyes burning onto hers with an intensity Charlie's heart couldn't bare.

"I think I can forgive you." She smiled softly. "Just don't do it again." She laughed.

"Just take things slow?" He murmured softly into her ear, his lips brushing Charlie's cheekbone as he pulled back only slightly, his head still tilted at the side of hers, she darted her eyes towards his and looked down to his lips before, her hands palmed his chest and roamed up his body, delicately drawing patterns on his skin. Charlie bit her lip in gentle anticipation as his muscles twitched under her touch, before she nodded her head softly at his comment. Her eyes trailed down to look at his lips, which were teasingly close to hers. She parted my lips softly as his lips caught hers before he pulled back for more, his lips tugging gently on her bottom lip, causing me to whimper quietly into his mouth as he did so. Her hands held his shoulder blades tightly as electricity ricocheted down her body at his touch, immediately finding herself lost in his arms, his hands slowly tightened gently around her tracing patterns on her skin. Both of them in lost in the overwhelming desire to be in each other's arms again.

* * *

**2 HOURS LATER**

**BIANCA POV**

I looked up from my magazine as the front door clicked open, praying it would be Charlie returning from her somewhat long absence. I'd been worried about her all day, trying to convince myself that she just needed some time out but part of me couldn't help but be concerned that maybe I was just trying to hold on to my best friend so much that she could never possibly have the chance to disappear again. I raised my eyebrows as Charlie appeared in the doorway with Brax in tow behind her, both of them with awkward and guilty smiles on their faces as I threw them a curious glance. Brax nodded at me before disappearing down the hallway, leaving me and Charlie left to chat since Rubes and Heath were on their evening shifts.

I frowned as Charlie's smile disappeared and she slumped down onto the couch placing a pillow behind her back and rubbing her forehead gently with her hand. Even when she doesn't look her best her skin still glows and her eyes still pierce you when you look into them, the icy blue sheen stinging you; she had the ability to outdo you even when she was tired. And the most frustrating thing was she hardly had a scrape of make up on.

"Are you ok?" I asked with a slight chuckle as she yawned loudly and tucked her feet up under her thighs.

She nodded drowsily and threw a sleepy smile at me. "I think so."

"You think so?" I asked, raising my eyebrows half in concern and half in curiosity as she wrapped her arms around her little bump protectively and snuggled deeper into the couch.

She nodded sleepily and tipped her head back into the couch, her eyes closing in exhaustion. "Yeah I'm just really tired." She mumbled, tilting her head back down to look at me and chuckling as I raised my eyebrows in curiosity as to what her and Brax had been up to this afternoon. "We talked and I think we've both realized a few things." She sighed.

I nodded slowly before looking back at her. "Can I ask what these 'things' are?"

"We both need to be able to forgive ourselves before we can forgive each other for starters." Charlie said, her eyes glancing around the room to try and avoid mine, as though she were worried I'd be the first of many to give her a lecture. "But we both agreed we can take things slow." She said, nodding to herself and to me.

"Are you sure its what you want?" I said, raising my arms in surrender when she threw an unimpressed look at me.

"I can't live without him B, I just want to be happy." She grinned.

"That's the best thing I've heard you say," I beamed, reaching out to her outstretched hand and giving it a gentle squeeze in my own. She stood up slowly and leant down to give me a quick cuddle before leaning back up and rubbing one hand over the bottom of her waist and the other over her eyes.

"I'm gonna head to bed I'm tired." She giggled beginning to trudge down the hallway. We both jilted our heads round as someone chuckled from the doorway.

I grinned as I saw Heath smiling at Charlie before walking over and pecking her forehead, "Night Buckers dearest." He quipped, ruffling Charlie's hair gently, "You need carrying to bed?" he offered teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"No Heath I think I'll be ok." Charlie chuckled, rolling her eyes and hitting his chest playfully before walking past.

"You sure because I make a pretty good Prince Charming." Heath called after her, laughing as I raised my eyebrows and scoffed at him.

"Excuse me?" I asked, pouting as he grabbed my beer sitting on the coffee table and slumped down on the couch next to me.

"I love you darling." He whispered, kissing my cheek before pulling back and grinning at me.

* * *

**3RD PERSON POV**

Charlie tilted her head round from her bed as her bedroom door slowly creaked open. A small smile graced her cheeks as she saw Brax in the doorway in a muscle vest and boxer shorts. Her breath hitched and her heart lurched into her throat at the sight she'd wanted to see for so long and missed particularly the past week. A tinted dusky rose blush crept on her cheeks as Brax grinned at her, his dimples poking up onto his cheeks. Her attention broke off from him and back to Morag on the other end of the phone. She smiled lightly at her stepmother and rolled her eyes at Morag's concerning voice on the other end of the phone "I'm ok I promise." Charlie reassured her, bringing her eyes back to Brax as he laughed, recognizing the voice squawking at her down the other end of the phone. Charlie nodded her head at what Morag was saying, her eyes training on Brax's as he walked towards her slowly. Charlie bit her lip as she hung up the phone after saying goodbye, the both of them trying to ignore the elephant that was in the room.

Charlie felt her eyes water as Brax walked over to her and his hand brushed her cheek delicately, his thumb gently tucking her hair behind her ears. Her heart felt like it was beating in her mouth and her pulse ran thickly near the surface of her skin. She swore he could feel her cheeks burning up underneath his finer tips as they skimmed over her cheeks. She leant into his touch as his hand stayed on her cheek, the mere touch of his skin against hers making her feel consumed with the realization of how much she loved him.

"I'm so glad you're back." She whispered sleepily, her voice breaking softly as she spoke and her eyes never once leaving his as a small smile crept onto his face.

"Me too." Brax whispered huskily, his voice thick with longing as he leant forward slowly and his lips pressed against hers slowly. His hand embedded in her hair as they pulled back, their foreheads against each other softly and their noses brushing past each other before Brax reluctantly pulled away from her. Brax watched as Charlie's eyes lingered on his, the crystal tears watering them visible in the dim moonlight that brightened the room through the curtains. "I'm gonna look after you-both of you. I promise." Brax murmured, his hand still softly on her cheek. Charlie leant forward with a small smile on her face and tenderly reached her hand towards his cheek, making sure she took in each part of him, making sure she remembered the feeling of his skin underneath hers. She felt a tear skim down her cheek as Brax's eyes trained on hers and he took her tiny hand in his own, enveloping hers with his. She grinned as he kissed her knuckles softly before holding her hand in his against his chest.

"Close your eyes" he whispered, pulling her duvet up around her and then bringing his hand back down to hers. "I'm gonna sit with you for a minute and make sure my babies get a good nights sleep." He said softly. Charlie bit her lip as she looked down at their intertwined hands before shuffling back into her pillows more, leaving one of her knees bent and the other leg flat on the bed. Charlie smiled as Brax tucked the duvet over her bump before he trailed his hands round her calf muscle on her bent leg, his hands slowly massaging her slightly swollen ankles before he moved his hands up to rest on her thigh and lowered his head and his lips gently pressed against her knee. His eyes closed as he felt Charlie's hand reach down and take his hand in her own. He grinned as his lips left her knee and she squeezed his hand softly, their eyes looking at nothing but each other.

* * *

**Woo happy Chax finally! (I hope the Chax reunion didn't feel too rushed!)**

**I hope that was worth waiting for and I will try and update Lost then Found next week, but I can't promise anything!**

**Please drop in a review x**


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